EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday or Friday throughout the calendar year.
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal, Fennimore Times, Boscobel Dial
Carsyn Ramaker, So., SS/P, Belmont softball
Belmont sophomore Carsyn Ramaker certainly saved her best for last with two stellar individual performances at this year’s WIAA Division 5 State Softball Tournament.
Ramaker pretty much did it all in the WIAA Division 5 State Championship game victory over No. 2 seed Almond–Bancroft two Saturdays ago. She started and pitched six strong innings, then played a little shortstop in the top of the seventh inning before coming back to the circle to record the final out of the title game after the Eagles scored a pair of runs on a Belmont error.
Ramaker’s final pitching line for the day was 61/3 innings, two hits, one unearned run, six strikeouts and two walks. For good measure, she also went 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and three runs scored to lead the Braves’ powerful offense.
Two days earlier, Ramaker went 1-for-2, reached on a hit by pitch, scored two runs, and pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in an 11–0 five-inning semifinal victory over No. 4 seed Ithaca.
Last week, it was announced that Ramaker was this year’s Wisconsin Fastpitch Coaches Association Division 5 Player of the Year. She was also named Small Schools (D4–5) First Team All-State.
Ramaker finished the year 11–1 with a 1.82 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 842/3 innings pitched and batted .444 (44-for-100) with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, 19 RBI, 34 runs scored and eight stolen bases to earn the WFSCA D5 Player of the Year award.
“Carsyn had a huge final month of the season and started pitching really well,” said Belmont head coach Jeff Hodgson. “Having two pitchers who were fresh really helped us dominate through the final month of the season and through the entire playoffs. Hitting-wise, she was the centerpiece of our offense. She drove in a lot of runs and got a lot of rallies started for us.”
Ramaker was joined on the WFSCA Smalls Schools All-State First Team by teammates Kalli Hodgson and Addy McNett.
A number of other area players joined the Belmont trio on this year’s WFSCA Division 4/5 All-State Team.
Cuba City senior pitcher Payton Gile, and Mineral Point junior Maddy Kabat (OF), junior Jadyn Schultz (2B) and freshman Austy Kinch (1B) were named to the 18-player D4/5 All-State First Team.
Mineral Point freshman pitcher Tenleigh Bockhop, Cuba City junior second baseman Addy Schauff, Barneveld junior pitcher/shortstop Hannah Esch and Barneveld sophomore outfielder Eliza Gordon were named to the 18-player D4/5 All-State Second Team, while Fennimore junior pitcher Kayahna Furrer received All-State honorable mention.
Richland Center freshman pitcher Kyree Fischer received D2/3 All-State honorable mention.
Each of the above mentioned players became eligible for All-State recognition by earning first-team All-District 3 honors.
