Lady Bulldogs take seventh-inning walk off softball win against rival Hilltoppers
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BOYCEVILLE senior Cora Leslie caught this pop fly for an out during an April 15 home softball game versus Glenwood City. The Bulldogs won 8-7. —photo by Rochelle Olson
Regardless of records, just about anything can happen and sometimes does when the Bulldogs and Hilltoppers compete against one another.
Boyceville, who entered its Monday, April 15 home conference softball game versus Glenwood City with just one loss, found itself in battle from the opening pitch to the final out with its rival.
The Hilltoppers knotted the contest at seven all with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. The Bulldogs responded with a walk-off 8-7 win in the bottom half of the inning.
Both squads also played conference games on Thursday. Boyceville went on the road to Elmwood and pummeled the Elmwood-Plum City Wolves 21-3 in five innings while Glenwood City also went five innings in Colfax but dropped a 12-2 decision to the D-SC leaders.
Boyceville (6-1, 9-1) hosted Colfax Monday before hitting the road for three straight conference game including a contest in Spring Valley on Thursday and another at Elk Mound next Monday, April 29.
Meanwhile, Glenwood City (1-2, 2-3) hosted Elmwood-Plum City this past Monday, travels to Durand on Thursday before returning home next Monday, April 29 to play Mondovi.
Boyceville vs. Glenwood City
Both Boyceville and Glenwood City had their bats singing when they met for the first time in 2024.
The two squads each finished with ten hits in the game played on the Bulldogs’ field at TCE last Monday, April 15.
FLIP TO FIRST — Glenwood City senior hurler Maddie Klatt flipped the softball to first base to retire a Colfax batter during a Dunn-St. Croix softball game played April 18 on the Vikings’ home field. Colfax won the game. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Boyceville took the early lead with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second inning.
Glenwood City tied the contest with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth only to have Boyceville tack on two more in the bottom of the frame to regain a 2-run advantage.
The Hilltoppers plated a couple of runs in the fifth to again tie the contest at four runs all.
But, the Bulldogs plated three runs in their half of the inning for a 7-4 lead.
The Hilltoppers, however, battled back and scored a run in the sixth and two in the seventh when Madison Caress and Kiley Leduc singled and Jenna McCarthy doubled to draw their team even with the Bulldogs.
Delaney Olson started the Bulldogs’ final at bat by drawing a walk from Kirah Krueger who had relieved Glenwood City starter Maddie Klatt with a pair of outs in the fifth inning. Krueger got the Bulldogs next batter, Hannah Dunn, to pop out to second baseman Madison Caress. But then Krueger walked the next two batters to load the bases. That brought the Bulldogs’ Kaitlyn Mittlestadt to the plate who promptly ripped a single to bring Olson home for an 8-7 Boyceville victory.
As it turned out, Mittlestadt’s game-winning hit was one of four she had in the game in as many plate appearances. She finished with a pair of RBIs and scored a run. Hannah Dunn was the only other Boyceville player to finish with multiple hits, garnering a pair including a double in four plate appearances. Aubrey Malean had a triple and Jadynn Traxler doubled.
Three Hilltoppers accounted for seven of the team’s hits. Madison Caress was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Kiley Leduc and Jenna McCarthy both finished 2-for-4. McCarthy also added a run and 2 RBIs and Brooklynn Brite had a double.
Freshman Aubrey Malean threw a complete game for the Bulldogs to earn the win. In the circle, she allowed all ten Topper hits and their seven runs with 8 strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Senior Maddie Klatt started for Glenwood City and went four and two-third innings for a no decision. Klatt gave up nine of the Bulldog hits with three Ks and did not walk a batter. Kirah Krueger took the loss for the Toppers allowing a run on one hit with three walks and two strikeouts.
Boyceville vs. E-PC
The host Wolves put two runs on the scoreboard in the opening inning to take an early lead when the Bulldogs visited Elmwood Thursday, April 18.
But, the lead was short lived for Elmwood-Plum City.
Boyceville scored twice in the top half of the second to knot the game then added eight runs in the third, seven more in the fourth and its final four runs in the fifth to cruise to a convincing and lopsided 21-3, 5-inning victory.
The Bulldogs racked up 15 hits en route to the win. Kaitlyn Mittlestadt had another perfect game at the plate as she went 3-for-3 which included a double and scored three runs and finished with a trio of RBIs. Delaney Olson and Cora Leslie also had a trio of hits in four plate appearances. Leslie touched home plate three times and tallied three RBIs. Jadynn Traxler finished with two hits in four trips to the plate and Hannah Dunn doubled.
Aubrey Malean threw another complete game to earn the win. The freshman hurler struck out six and allowed just one walk. She surrendered only six hits and three runs to the Wolves.
Glenwood City vs. Colfax
Host Colfax pounded the ball, tallying 13 hits in the five-inning, April 18 contest to defeat Glenwood City 12-2.
After the Vikings put up two runs in both the first and second innings, the Hilltoppers closed the gap as they scored once in the second inning and once more in the third. But the floodgates opened wide for Colfax in the third with eight runners finding their way to home plate to finish off the scoring for both teams.
Every player in the Colfax lineup scored at least one run while several had multiple hits.
Glenwood City, meanwhile, was held to just four hits by Viking hurler Laikyn Beyer who whiffed seven Topper batters and walked only two. Avery Rubenzer and Brooklynn Brite each smacked doubles while Jenna McCarthy and Kiley Leduc singled for the other two Glenwood City hits. Rubenzer, who had the Toppers’ lone stolen base, and McCarthy each finished with an RBI. Brite and McCarthy also accounted for the Glenwood City runs.
Senior Maddie Klatt took the pitching loss as she went three innings in the circle, giving up all the Colfax hits and runs while striking out a pair. Kirah Krueger pitched a scoreless fourth frame and finished with a strike out.
Correction
In last week’s issue of the Tribune Press Reporter it was incorrectly reported that Glenwood City had beaten Spring Valley 15-13.
The Hilltoppers actually won the home contest, which featured a grand slam by senior Sydney Grant, 15-9.
The Tribune Press Reporter apologizes for the error.