MADISON, Wis. – Five divisions of softball crowned champions at the 2022 State Softball Tournament at Goodman Diamond on the UW-Madison campus Saturday.
Top-seeded Kaukauna (31-0) won its second consecutive championship with a resounding 11-3 win over second-seeded Sun Prairie (29-2).
The Galloping Ghosts utilized their team speed to create havoc both at the plate and on the bases. They stole eight bases in the game, which ties a Division 1 State Tournament record.
They set the tone early with four runs in the first inning with four hits, including a home run by Haylie Wittman. They swiped two bases in the frame and took advantage of two errors, two wild pitches and a pass ball.
Kaukauna scored three more times in the second to take a 7-0 lead. The big hit was a two-run homer by Karly Meredith. Four more runs were added in the fourth inning to inflate the score to 11-0. The Galloping Ghosts stole three bases and capitalized of two wild pitches and a pass ball.
Sun Prairie posted two runs in the sixth inning with a two-run double by pinch-hitter Kenzie Longley, one of two hits in the game for the Cardinals. They added a run in the seventh on an RBI triple by Isabel Royle.
Kally and Karly Meredith, Ava VanAsten, Paige Miller and Taryn Christopher fueled the Kaukauna 12-hit attack with two hits apiece. Karly Meredith tied a Division 1 record with three stolen bases. Skyler Calmes was credited with the win in the circle, allowing no hits through four innings. Karly Meredith came on in relief to pitch the final three innings, yielding three runs on two hits.
Tayler Baker took the loss for the Cardinals, giving up eight hits and seven runs – three earned – in 1 2/3 innings.
It’s Kaukauna’s fourth State title in four appearances in the State Tournament. Sun Prairie finishes runner-up in its eighth State experience.
Freedom (29-2), the second seed, edged top-seeded Jefferson 5-4 in eight innings in the Division 2 title game.
After the Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a one-out home run by Aidyn Messman, the Irish scored the eventual winning run in the eighth on an RBI single by Kierstin Kriewaldt, driving in Naleyah Bork, who singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.
The Irish jumped out in front in the top of the first inning with three runs. Sadie Jarmolowicz delivered a two-out, two-run single and Rachel Koss scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.
The Eagles got on the board in the third inning. Lily Fairfield tripled to drive in Savannah Serdynski, who singled. They cut their deficit to one with two runs in the fifth. After doubling to open the inning, Serdynski scored on an error. Hildie Dempsey drove in the second run of the inning with a single.
Freedom added a run in the sixth inning on a Kaia McVay sacrifice fly.
Jarmolowicz collected a pair of hits, including a double and drove in two runs for the Irish. Marlee Smith also had two hits in the game. Naleyah Bork pitched an eight-inning complete game for the Irish, striking out 10 and giving up four runs on nine hits.
Savannah Serdynski of Jefferson had a game-high three hits with a double and two runs scored. Hildie Dempsey was charged with the loss in relief, giving up a run on three hits in two innings. Aeryn Messmann started the game and went six innings, giving up four runs and four hits in six innings.
Freedom wins its first State championship in its third appearance in the tourney. Jefferson finishes runner-up in its fourth State experience.
In Division 3, second-seeded Poynette (21-5) hoisted the gold trophy following it 5-3 triumph over fourth-seeded New Holstein (20-6) in the championship game.
The Huskies scored first with an unearned run in the second inning on an RBI double by Haylie Kohlman following a two-base error put Kylee Pierquet aboard.
The Pumas’ big inning came in the bottom of the fourth when they plated four runs. Four hits and two Huskies errors fueled the rally. The big blow of the inning was a double by Holly Lowenberg that drove in two runs. Ashia Meister and Morgan Gunderson also contributed with run-scoring singles.
The Huskies added a run in the fourth inning. After Pierquet singled, Alyssa Schneider drove her in with a double to cut their deficit to two at 4-2. The Pumas responded in their half of the fourth inning with an unearned run.
New Holstein scored the final run of the game in the sixth inning on an RBI single off the bat of Pierquet. She led the Huskies offensively in the game with two hits, a pair of runs scored and an RBI.
Meister and Gunderson had two hits for the Pumas, and Lowenberg drove in two runs. She also is credited with a complete-game victory. She surrendered five hits, three runs – two of which were earned – and struck out eight.
Jenna Karls started in the circle for the Huskies and was charged with the loss. She pitched 3 1/3 inning and gave up five runs – three earned – on six hits and one strikeout. Natalie Ziebell pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief without giving up a run on two hits.
Poynette wins its sixth State championship in the Pumas’ 12th tourney appearance. New Holstein finishes runner-up in its first-ever State experience.
Top-seeded Grantsburg (22-2) won the championship in Division 4 by virtue of a 3-2 win over Horicon in the title game.
Horicon scored in the top of the first inning on an RBI double by Cyri Reinwald, but Grantsburg erased its deficit in the second inning with a pair of runs. Sadye Bunting drove in both runs with a single.
The Pirates added a run in the third inning on a home run by Whitney Myers that caromed off the top and over the fence in left center. The insurance run proved valuable after the Marshladies added an unearned run in the fifth inning aided by a two Pirates’ errors.
Myers was credited with the complete-game victory for Grantsburg, giving up six hits and one earned run while striking out two. Megan Schafer and Hanne Johnson each collected two hits to lead the Pirates offensively.
Emma Miller had two hits for Horicon, and Lizzie Gibbs pitched six innings, yielding seven hits and one earned run with a strikeout. She was saddled with the loss in the circle.
Grantsburg wins the program’s third State championship in its ninth tourney appearance. Horicon finishes runner-up in its ninth appearance.
In Division 5, top-seeded Assumption (21-2) won the State title with a 3-1 victory over Barneveld (22-7) in the championship game.
Ava Schill collected and pair of hits and drove in two runs to lead the Royals’ offense. She hit a solo home run to left in the first inning, and that’s all the scoring the Royals would need behind her stellar effort in the circle. She yielded one run on three hits for the complete game victory, striking out six.
Daelynn Rhoades drove in the only run for the Golden Eagles with a two-out single in the top of the seventh to avoid a shutout. She was Barneveld’s starting pitcher and was charged with the loss, surrendering two runs in one inning of work.
The Royals win their third State championship in their sixth appearance at State, and the Golden Eagles finish runner-up in their first-ever experience in the tournament.
Tournament Results & Boxscores