Scoring runs was not a problem for the Iola-Scandinavia softball team in its state tournament opener.
The Thunderbirds handed Menominee Indian a 28-0 defeat May 24 in a Division 3 subregional. The third-seeded T-Birds played at No. 2 seed Laona/Wabeno May 29 and the winner will play either Manawa or No. 1 seed Three Lakes for a regional championship today (Thursday, May 31).
I-S scored in each inning, including 13 times in the third inning alone, in the five-inning win over the Eagles.
Winning pitcher Payton Erickson went the distance and allowed two hits and no walks while striking out 10 batters. The T-Bird defense also played error-free ball.
Jane Oligney, Whitney Tomczak and Karina Welch each had three of the T-Birds’ 18 hits. Welch and Tomczak drove in four and two runs, respectively, while Oligney had a double and drove in a run. Kylie Johnson, Erickson and Brooke Phillips added two hits. Erickson had a double and drove in five runs, while Amanda Aanstad drove in three runs.
Meanwhile, the junior varsity team wrapped up its season with a pair of road victories. The T-Birds beat Amherst 26-6 May 21 and Almond-Bancroft 10-1 May 22 to end the season with a 19-2 record.
I-S 26, Amherst 6
AMHERST – I-S scored in each of their five turns at bat, including eight runs in the fifth inning.
Pitcher Brianne Huettner went the distance to earn the victory. She allowed five hits and three walks while striking out nine.
Denisha Erno had four hits, including two doubles; Lindsey Bloom had three hits; and Huettner, Mariah Oppor and Jessica Faldet had two each.
I-S 10, A-B 1
ALMOND – Huettner pitched a complete game no-hitter to get the win and helped herself out offensively with four hits, including a double.
Faldet had three hits and Bloom, Sophie Erdmann and Emily Bonikowske added two each and Amanda Aasen had a home run in the sixth.