By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter
It was rainy, it was windy, and it was cold. Chalk it up to Wisconsin weather if you want, but Bluejay varsity softball did not let the weather stop them from winning both games against Antigo this past Friday (May 13). The first game ended with a final score of 8-4 with Merrill making nine hits and committing two errors. The second game saw a wider score difference with a final score of 12-4, with Merrill making ten hits and committing two errors.
The first game started somewhat frustratingly with neither team being able to make any progress on the bases as both teams put out each other relatively quickly. Merrill started to gain the upper hand at the bottom of the third with Madisen Weix on third and Maddix Bonnell on second but the wind and rain became too intense for the game to continue. The game was put on hold until the weather abated.
During the delay, while most people huddled in the dugouts or went back to their vehicles, the Bluejays requested songs from the booths, danced on the dirt and took many selfies to pass the time. Their quirky antics must have made a difference, because once the game resumed they would go on to score three successive runs.
It all started with Leonna Ives batting in Madisen Weix with a grounder to short stop. Maddix Bonnell would then score of Chelsey LaMonica’s hard grounder to left and Ives would subsequently score off of Calli Oberg’s grounder to third base.
Antigo would get two runs at the top of the fourth, but Merrill would respond with LaMonica batting in Ives and herself with a powerful home run hit, her second of the season. Later on in the inning Madisen Weix would bat in both Kelsie Belfiori and Cassandra Casper with a line drive to center and Bonnell would later bat in Molly Weix with a grounder to left field. Antigo would acquire two more runs off a home run hit in the next inning, but it wouldn’t be enough to tip the scales in their favor.
Top offensive performances came courtesy of LaMonica (3H, 1R, 1HR, 3RBI), Madisen Weix (2H, 1R, 2RBI), Ives (1H, 2R, 1RBI), Bonnell (1H, 1R, 1RBI), Belfiori (1R, 2BB), Oberg (1H, 1RBI), Cassandra Casper (1H, 1R) and Molly Weix (1R).
Taylor Krueger pitched very well considering the terrible weather. She struck out two, walked one, allowed five hits and four runs-two earned. LaMonica and Ives lead the fielding effort with five putouts each. Other fielders include Oberg with three putouts and an assist, Madisen Weix with three putouts, Belfiori with two putouts, both Bonnell and Lindsey Casper with a putout and two assists each and Cassandra Casper with a putout.
The second game saw a more aggressive offensive effort from the Bluejays with each inning seeing plays made and runs scored. It started right away at the top of the first with Oberg batting in Bonnell with a fly to right field. Later on, Madisen Weix would score of Belfiori’s hard grounder to center.
Antigo would briefly take the lead at the bottom of the first with three runs but Merrill quickly responded in the second starting with Lindsey Casper scoring off Calle Johnson’s line drive to center. Johnson would subsequently score off Bonnell’s grounder to third and Bonnell would too eventually score off LaMonica’s grounder to short stop. Ives would top off the inning with a run courtesy of Oberg’s grounder to second.
Merrill got another run at the top of the third with Cassandra Casper pulling a similar maneuver to the one she pulled against West last Wednesday by tagging back up on third and running home while the ball was caught outfield. Antigo would get their last run of the game in the bottom of the third from another home run hit.
Merrill piled on four more runs in the fourth, starting with Payton Waldburger scoring off of Stephanie Schroder’s grounder to third base. Emily Travis would score off of Molly Weix’s fly to left field and both Schroder and Weix would score off of Johnson’s line drive to center. LaMonica would score off of Oberg’s line drive to right field for the last run of the game.
It was a pretty uniform effort at the plate. Top players include Bonnell (1H, 2R), Johnson (2H, 1R, 2RBI, double), Molly Weix (1H, 1R, 2RBI, double), Oberg (3H, 2RBI, double), Ives (1R, 2BB), Belfiori (1H, 1RBI), Schroder (1R, 1BB), LaMonica (1H, 1R, 1RBI, double), and Emily Travis, Lindsey Casper, Waldburger and Madisen Weix with a run each.
LaMonica pitched the majority of innings, striking out one, walking three, allowing one hit and one earned run. Belfiori also pitched; she struck out none, walked one, allowed two hits and three runs-two earned. Fielding was lead by Molly Weix with seven putouts. Other fielders include Bonnell with two putouts and three assists, Lindsey Casper with one putout and two assists, Ives with one putout and two assists and Oberg with one putout.
Loss to Marshfield
Merrill lost to Marshfield this past Thursday (May 12) with a final score of 4-2. Merrill was able to generate six hits and commit zero errors.
After two scoreless innings Merrill took the lead with a run at the top of the third with Lindsey Casper scoring off of Bonnell’s line drive to left. Marshfield would take the lead with two runs at the bottom of the third. The score would remain 2-1 until the sixth when Madisen Weix would score a run off of Cassandra Casper’s line drive to right to tie the game. Marshfield would respond with two runs in the bottom sixth to retake the lead. Merrill would not be able to make any more runs.
Taylor Krueger pitched the entire game, striking out one, walking none, allowing nine hits and four runs-three earned. Fielding was lead by LaMonica with ten putouts. Other fielders include Ives with three putouts and four assists, Belfiori and Johnson with two putouts each and Bonnell with a putout and an assist.
Article will be updated with coach’s comments when they become available.
Stats provided by Gamechanger.
