Thunderbirds win two of three
Iola-Scandinavia softball team to open tournament at home
By Greg Seubert
The Iola-Scandinavia softball team wrapped up the regular season by splitting a pair of Central Wisconsin Conference East Division games with Amherst and Weyauwega-Fremont and picking up a nonconference win over Wautoma.
Amherst 13, Iola-Scandinavia 0 (5 inn.)
The Falcons needed only five innings to score 13 runs while holding the Thunderbirds scoreless.
Three errors led to four runs for Amherst in the top of the first inning. Amherst added five more runs in the next two innings on six hits and two more errors and scored its final four runs in the fourth on five hits and another error.
The Falcons outhit the T-Birds 14-2. Jaelyn Sivertson was the only runner to make it past first base.
Lizzie Jones pitched the first four innings in taking the loss. She allowed 13 hits and four walks.
Iola-Scandinavia 12, Weyauwega-Fremont 5
The T-Birds responded two days later with a road win over the Warhawks.
Iola-Scandinavia broke a 4-4 tie with three runs in the fourth inning before adding two and three runs in the sixth and seventh, respectively.
Maddie Much picked up the win by pitching the final Much earned the win pitching the final 4 1/3 innings. Jones started the game and allowed two hits one walk while striking out three batters in two innings. Julia Munoz came in for Jones and pitched two-thirds of an inning.
Sivertson had four hits and drove in four runs. She had a two-run single in the second inning and a two-run inside-the-park home run in the fourth. Much had three hits; Jones had two hits and an RBI; Marin Hoyord had a double; and Taylor Kielblock drove in two runs.
Iola-Scandianvia 16, Wautoma 7
Trailing 3-2, Iola-Scandinavia scored 10 runs in the third inning June 4 and went on to beat the 19-4 Hornets.
The T-Birds outhit the Hornets 19-15. Alexa Christoph had five hits for Iola-Scandinavia, including a run-scoring double in the third. Sivertson had four hits and two RBIs, including a first-inning triple. Hoyord and Jones each had three hits, including a double. Jones also drove in two runs; Katie Cherek and Kielblock each had two hits and two RBIs; and Myah Heschke had her first varsity hit, a run-scoring single in the fifth.
The T-Birds again used three pitchers. Munoz came in for Jones, who pitched the first two innings, and pitched the middle three innings to earn the win. Much pitched the final two innings.
Iola-Scandinavia will open the WIAA state softball tournament at home Monday, June 14, with a Division 4 regional semifinal against Sevastopol at 4:30 p.m.
If the T-Birds win, they will play either Algoma, Manawa or Crandon Wednesday, June 16, for a regional championship.
All tournament game will have an admission fee.