The Iola-Scandinavia softball team went 1-1 this past week, beating Wittenberg-Birnamwood 9-7 Thursday, May 5, and losing 8-0 to Weyauwega-Fremont Monday, May 2.
The team has a 4-4 Central Wisconsin 8 Conference record and is 6-6 overall.
I-S 9, W-B 7
IOLA – After W-B tied the game at 7-7 on Schay Anderson’s three-run home run over the left center field fence in the top of the sixth inning, Morgan Oppor responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-run homer over the left center field fence that turned out to be the game-winning hit.
Sophomore pitcher Payton Erickson picked up her first career complete game win. She allowed 10 hits one walk while striking out two batters.
The Thunderbirds scored three runs in the second to take a 3-1 lead, as Whitney Tomczak, Kiara Boutwell and Oppor each singled. Natasha Buster and Oppor each drove in a run.
The T-Birds opened up a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning, as Teresa Sprangers Buster reached base on a pair of errors and scored on Oppor’s double by Oppor. Oppor later scored on a triple by Mary Marx and Marx scored on a passed ball.
The Chargers responded with three runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to tie the game.
Oppor had three of the T-Birds’ nine hits and drove in five runs. Marx added two hits and a pair of RBIs.
W-F 8, I-S 0
IOLA – The T-Birds didn’t get a runner to third base and managed only three hits in a loss to the Indians.
W-F, behind the pitching of Kayla Bastar, had 11 hits and took advantage of four T-bird errors. Bastar walked one while striking out 13 batters.
Oppor took the loss, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out three batters. Erickson pitched the final three innings, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out two batters.
Marx had two of the T-Birds’ hits.
The T-Birds have six road games scheduled for the next week. I-S will play at Manawa at 4:30 p.m. today (Thursday, May 12) and at Amherst at 4 p.m. Friday, May 13. The T-Birds will also compete in a rescheduled tournament Saturday, May 14, in Stratford. I-S will open up against Baldwin-Woodville at 10 a.m. and play Antigo or Stratford in the second game. I-S has a 4 p.m. doubleheader in Shiocton slated for Monday, May 16, before returning home against Amherst at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19.
Meanwhile, the T-Bird junior varsity team also went 1-1 this past week, beating Rosholt 16-11 before losing to W-B 8-6.
The team has a 3-5 record and will host Wild Rose at 4:30 p.m. May 13. The T-Birds will also host a three-game tournament against W-B, Plainfield Tri-County and Shiocton at the high school and Taylor fields. The team will also play a pair of 4 p.m. doubleheaders at Shiocton May 16 before hosing Tri-County Tuesday, May 17.