Kielblock strikes out 32 batters
By Greg Seubert
Strikeouts and home runs have turned into effective one-two punch for the Iola-Scandinavia softball team.
The Thunderbirds won a Division 3 regional championship May 23 with a 13-3 six-inning win over Laona/Wabeno. Iola-Scandinavia also opened WIAA state tournament play May 21 with a 2-1 win over Weyauwega-Fremont.
Mackenzie Kielblock picked up the win on the mound in both games and struck out 32 batters in the two wins, including 14 against Laona/Wabeno and 18 against Weyauwega-Fremont.
The second-seeded T-Birds improved to 17-6 on the season and hosted fourth-seeded Shiocton in a sectional semifinal May 28. The winner will face No. 1 Mishicot or No. 2 Algoma at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 30, in a sectional semifinal in Crivitz.
Iola-Scandinavia 13, Laona/Wabeno 3 (6 inn.)
The T-Birds scored five runs in the fifth and sixth innings in a win over the Rebels.
“Hopefully, we can continue to hit the ball well like we did today as we continue to move forward,” coach Tom Anderson said. “Kenzie’s pitching should keep us in most games. We just need to play solid defense and get some timely hitting.”
Kielblock allowed seven hits and didn’t walk a batter.
Hannah Melum had four of the T-Birds’ 16 hits, including a solo home run in the first inning and a two-run shot in the sixth. She added an RBI double in the fifth and drove in four runs.
Ashlynn Schmies had three hits, including a double and an a RBI single in the fifth inning; Kielblock, Katie Cherek and Lizzie Jones had two hits; Emily Wolfgram drove in two runs; and Kielblock, Lyncoln Podgorny and Alexa Christoph drove in a run each.
Iola-Scandinavia 2, Weyauwega-Fremont 1
Kielblock struck out the first six batters she faced, but the Indians took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Hannah Timm reached on an error and scored on Rylee Bartel’s double.
The T-Birds tied the game in the bottom of the third, as Christoph drew a leadoff walk and courtesy runner Makayla Much scored on Kielblock’s double.
The score stayed tied until Melum tripled in the sixth for the T-Birds and scored on Cherek’s single.
The T-Birds outhit the Indians 4-3.
“I give our girls a lot of credit,” Anderson said. “We hung in there and battled with them. Weyauwega-Fremont played an incredible game. They kept us on our heels and didn’t allow us to get anything going offensively. Fortunately, we were able to keep them quiet with the help of Kenzie’s 18 strikeouts.”