THE TOURNAMENT: The 38th Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Softball State Tournament will take place Thursday-Saturday, June 6-8, at the Goodman Diamond on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. Ticket prices for the tourney are $8 per session for quarterfinals and semifinals, $4 for each championship game and $14 for an all-day ticket on each day. Tickets are available at the stadium or online with a $1 convenience fee per session ticket: https://expressoticketing.com/wiaa/pickeventsoftball.aspx
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE AND PAIRINGS: The single elimination tournament features eight teams in Division 1 and four each in Divisions 2, 3 and 4. The second game of each session will follow the first game.
Thursday, June 6
Division 1 Quarterfinals
Game-1: Oshkosh West (19-2) vs. Kenosha Bradford (20-5) - 9 a.m.
Game-2: Stevens Point (25-4) vs. Germantown (18-2) - 11 a.m.*
Game-3: Sun Prairie (22-2) vs. Westosha Central (19-1) - 1:30 p.m.
Game-4: Appleton East (21-3) vs. Menomonee Falls (18-4) - 3:30 p.m.*
Division 2 Semifinals - 6 p.m.
Game-1: New London (15-5) vs. Monroe (27-2) - 6 p.m.
Game-2: Baldwin-Woodville (20-3) vs. New Berlin West (19-3) - 8 p.m.*
Friday, June 7
Division 4 Semifinals
Game-1: Newman Catholic (12-5) vs. New Lisbon (19-2) - 9 a.m.
Game-2: Shell Lake (16-4) vs. Algoma (16-2) - 11 a.m.*
Division 3 Semifinals
Game-1: Pacelli (12-8) vs. Mineral Point (21-3) - 1:30 p.m.
Game-2: Grantsburg (15-1) vs. Kenosha St. Joseph (23-1) - 3:30 p.m.*
Division 1 Semifinals
Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 - 6 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 - 8 p.m.*
Saturday, June 8
Division 4 Championship Game - 10 a.m.
Division 3 Championship Game - 12:30 p.m.*
Division 2 Championship Game - 3 p.m.
Division 1 Championship Game - 5:30 p.m.*
* Approximate times
ALL GAMES STREAMED LIVE: The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of all four divisions of the WIAA State Tournament will be streamed live on the Internet on foxsportswisconsin.com.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES ON FS WISCONSIN: Watch the delayed broadcast of the WIAA State Softball Championship finals on FS Wisconsin. The Division 1 title game is scheduled to be aired on June 24 at 6:30 p.m. The Division 2 championship game will be aired on June 17 at 7 p.m.. The Division 3 title game is scheduled to be aired on June 17 at 9 p.m., and the Division 4 championship game is scheduled to air June 29 at 2:30 p.m. Check local cable listings for the channel in your area.
TEAM TOURNAMENT HISTORY: The WIAA has been sponsoring the State Softball Tournament since 1976. Stevens Point leads all programs in State titles won with eight. Kimberly and Marion have won six, followed by Denmark with five. Ashwaubenon has the most State Tournament appearances with 16. Stevens Point has qualified for State 15 times, and Kimberly and Homestead have reached State 12 times.
LAST YEAR: Chippewa Falls won the Division 1 State championship by defeating Sun Prairie 4-3 in the championship game. Baldwin-Woodville captured the Division 2 title with a 7-0 blanking of Monroe in the title tilt, and Pacelli was the Division 3 champion by virtue of its 8-3 win over Poynette in the State final. Oakfield won its second straight Division 4 title by defeating Tigerton 5-4 in the final.
THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Last year’s runner-up Sun Prairie returns for another attempt at a State title. The Cardinals are appearing at State for the third time overall. Prior to last season, they advanced to the semifinals in 2003. They are the champions of the Big Eight Conference this season, and they earned their return to State with a 12-1 rout of Verona in the Waunakee Sectional final. Perennial power Stevens Point is making its 15th overall appearance at State. The Panthers have won the most State championships of any member school with eight, including three in the last five years. They won four straight titles from 2001-04, won back-to-back titles in 2008-09 and added another in 2011. In addition, they captured the State Class A championship in 1986. Furthermore, they were runners-up in 1985 and 2000. The Panthers have posted a stellar 30-6 record in State Tournament play. They are the champions of the Wisconsin Valley Conference this year, and they advance to State from the Wausau East Sectional following a 5-3 win over defending State champion Chippewa Falls in the final. Appleton East is back at State for the ninth time and for the sixth year in a row. The Patriots won the State title in 2000 and added a runner-up finish in 2003. They finished second in the Fox Valley Association standings this season, and they qualified for State by downing Green Bay Preble 5-3 in the sectional final hosted at Bay Port. Oshkosh West has qualified for the State tournament for the seventh time and for the first time since 2001. The Wildcats furthest advance in the State tournament was a runner-up finish in 1989. They qualify this season with a 10-inning, 8-6 win over Kimberly in the final of the Oshkosh North sectional. They are the champions of the Fox Valley Association this season. Westosha Central returns to the State Tournament field for the second consecutive season and for the sixth time overall. The most notable of the Falcons’ trips to State was a runner-up 1995. They are the champions of the Southern Lakes Conference this spring. They blanked Waterford 10-0 in the Badger Sectional final to continue their quest for the State title. Germantown will appear in the State Tournament for the second straight season and for the fourth time overall. The Warhawks’ first appearance at State produced a Division 1 championship in 1996. They finished first in the North Shore Conference standings this season. They advance as representatives out of the Brookfield East Sectional with a 1-0 win over Brookfield Central in the final. Kenosha Bradford returns to the State Tournament for the third time in the last five years, having made its first-ever appearance in 2009 and qualifying again in 2011. The Red Devils advanced to the semifinals in their most recent appearance after falling in the quarterfinals in their first experience. They are the champions of the Southeast Conference this season and are the representative from the sectional hosted by Muskego following a 5-0 shutout over Racine Case in the final. Menomonee Falls is also participating in its third State Tournament. Its only other appearances came in 2003 and 2009 when the Indians fell in quarterfinals. They are the champions of the Greater Metro Conference this season. Their entry into the final field of eight was earned with a 4-1 win over Watertown in the Arrowhead Sectional final.
THE DIVISION 2 FIELD: Defending champion Baldwin-Woodville returns to State to defend its title. The Blackhawks are making their third straight State Tournament appearance, which also accounts for their overall number of appearances. They finished runner-up in their first experience at State in 2011. They are the champions of the Middle Border Conference, and they earned a chance to continue their quest for a second straight title by beating Rice Lake 3-1 in the St. Croix Central Sectional final. The 2012 runner-up Monroe makes its third consecutive appearance at State and its fifth in the last six years. The Cheesemakers have now qualified seven times overall. They won the Division 2 title in 2003 and have finished runner-up four times since then in 2004, 2008, 2009 and again last season. They are the champions of the Badger Conference’s South Division this spring and downed McFarland 4-1 to win the Evansville Sectional title. New London will make its second State appearance after its 3-1 win over Luxemburg-Casco in the Shawano Sectional final. The Bulldogs’ only other experience in the State Tournament resulted in a runner-up finish in 2005. They placed third in the Bay Conference standings this spring. New Berlin West will play in the State Tournament for the first time after its 5-4 victory over Waupun in the Waupun Sectional final. The Vikings placed third in the West Division standings of the Woodland Conference this season.
THE DIVISION 3 FIELD: Defending champion Pacelli qualifies for State for the fifth time and the third season in a row. The Cardinals also won a Division 4 championship in 2003. In addition, they finished runner-up in Division 3 in 2011. They won six consecutive titles from 1992-97 while a member of WISAA. They finished fifth in the Central Wisconsin 8 Conference this spring and have advanced through the sectional played in Plover with a 4-0, nine-inning win over Shiocton in the final. Grantsburg qualifies for the sixth time in school history and for the second straight season. The Pirates have won State titles in 2006 and 2009. This season, they are the champions of the West Division of the Lakeland Conference and advanced to the State semifinals through the Fall Creek Sectional with an 8-0 win over Elk Mound in the final. Mineral Point advances to the State for the first time since its only other State appearance in 1983. That appearance resulted in a loss in the Class C semifinals. They are the champions of the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League this year, as well as the champions of the Brodhead Sectional following their 5-3 win over Brodhead in the final. Kenosha St. Joseph will experience the State Tournament for the first time by virtue of its 9-2 victory over Laconia in the Chilton Sectional final. The Lady Lancers won the title of the Metro Classic Conference this spring.
THE DIVISION 4 FIELD: Algoma qualifies in Division 4 after qualifying in Division 3 and falling in the semifinals last season, The Wolves only other appearance at State was in 2004, which also resulted in a loss in the semifinals. They qualify this season with a 2-1 win over Racine Lutheran in the Oakfield Sectional final. The Wolves won the Packerland Conference title this spring. New Lisbon is making its fourth appearance and its first since 2001. The Rockets other two State experiences came back-to-back in 1977-78. In each of the previous three trips, they’ve been eliminated in the semifinals. They are the champions of the Scenic Bluffs Conference this year, and they have advanced to State through the the Boscobel Sectional with a 1-0 win over Belmont in the final. Newman Catholic reaches the State Tournament for the first time following the Cardinals’ 7-1 win over Assumption in the Abbotsford Sectional final. They finished runner-up to Assumption in the South Division of the Marawood Conference this spring. Shell Lake is also making its debut in the State Tournament. The Lakers edged Pepin/Alma 3-2 in the final of the McDonell Central Sectional to advance to State semifinals. They finished second in the West Division of the Lakeland Conference this year behind Division 3 State qualifier Grantsburg.
NEED THE QUALIFIERS?: Information for qualifying teams in the State Tournament are available on the restricted media area of the WIAA website.
FOLLOW THE TOURNEY ON TWITTER: Receive the updates of the State Softball Tournament on the WIAA State Tournament Twitter account @wiaawistate with the hashtag #wiaawisb.
NEED RESULTS?: The quickest way to get results will be to access the softball homepage on the WIAA website at: http://www.wiaawi.org/Sports/Softball.aspx and choose the appropriate results links.