MCDONALD'S GAME OF THE WEEK (prep softball): Platteville 11, Southwestern 7

Tashner, Hillmen hold off Wildcats

Senior centerfielder Catherine Tasher rips a two-run triple in the bottom of the third inning to give Platteville a 7–0 lead in Monday’s 11–7 non-conference season opening win against Southwestern.

Updated: Apr 1, 2022, 6:59 PM

Published: Apr 1, 2022, 6:55 PM

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM CO-GAME OF THE WEEK (March 22–29)
PREP SOFTBALL: Platteville 11, Southwestern 7

By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal

PLATTEVILLE — After two weeks of practice and two postponements of their regularly scheduled season opener, the Platteville softball ball team opened the 2022 campaign with an 11–7 non-conference victory over visiting Southwestern Monday afternoon on a chilly 37-degree day.

The game was originally scheduled to be played in Hazel Green, but moved to Platteville mid-Monday.

The host Hillmen took quick advantage of the change of venue and scored four runs off Southwestern starter Hannah Brant in the bottom of the first inning, then tacked on three more over the next two frames to build a commanding 7–0 lead.

But the shaky Wildcats (0–1) found their footing in the top of the fourth inning, scoring four runs against Hillmen senior pitcher Ava Graney.

Southwestern never got any closer than three runs the rest of the way, as the Hillmen bats put up three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Wildcats at arm’s length.

Graney set the Wildcats down in order in the top of the first, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame.

Then Platteville’s top of the lineup went to work.

Junior second baseman Camryn Nies led off with a line drive single to center, and senior Catherine Tashner smashed an RBI double off the yellow plastic liner on the top of the fence in deep left field to make it 1–0.

Sophomore catcher Delaney Johnson followed with an RBI double to left to drive home Tashner.

Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Blevins drew a one-out walk and stole second base, then after a strikeout, the Hillmen loaded the bases with a walk by Lauren Wernimont.

Emma Pennekamp then delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field to make it 4–0.

Platteville added a run in the second when Johnson rapped a two-out double and scored on when Graney reached on an error that got between the first baseman’s legs.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, Nies singled to center, then Tashner smashed another one off the fence in left, this time for a two-run triple and a 7–0 lead. Tashner finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of extra base hits and three RBI.

Southwestern got back in the game with four runs (three unearned) in the top of the fourth thanks to a pair of Platteville errors in the top of the third. Alana Splinter’s two-run double made it 7–4, but Graney got out of the jam without further damage on a ground ball to shortstop and a pop fly to centerfield.

Blevins smacked a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to get a run back for the home team.

Johnson ripped a two-run triple to deep center in the bottom of the fifth to make it 10–5, then scored on a ground out by Graney. Johnson finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple, two RBI and three runs scored.

Nies also went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI as Platteville’s lead off hitter.

The Wildcats got a run back in the sixth on an RBI single by Farrey, and one more in the top of the seventh on an RBI single back up the middle by Mick, but Graney got Splinter to fly out to Pennekamp in right field to end the game.

Graney (1–0) picked up the win, allowing seven runs, four earned, on nine hits and one walk in seven innings. She struck out four.

Brant took the loss, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks in her only inning of work.

Gracie Redferan went 2-for-3 and Kelsey Mick was 2-for-4 to lead the Wildcats.

Platteville was scheduled to host Potosi/Cassville Tuesday afternoon. The Hillmen will then return to action Tuesday at Legion Park against Belmont at 5 p.m.

Platteville 11, Southwestern 7
(from Monday, March 28 @ Platteville)
Southwestern...000 411 1 — 7 9 2
Platteville..........412 130 x — 11 12 3
Leading hitters — S: Gracie Redfearn 2x3, Kelsey Mick 2x4; P: Camryn Nies 3x4, Catherine Tashner 2x4, Delaney Johnson 3x4. 2B — S: Heather Hinman, K. Mick, Alana Spinter; P: Johnson 2, Tashner. 3B — P: Johnson, Tashner.
W — Ava Graney (1–0, 7IP, 9H, 7R, 3ER, 4K, 1BB). L — Hannah Brant (1IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 1K, 2BB).

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U GAME OF THE WEEK (Six Rivers Baseball): #10 River Ridge 5, #5 Belmont 2

#11 Timberwolves upset #4 Braves to win a share of first baseball conference title

Sophomore Blake Reynolds collected the win on the mound, limiting #4 Belmont to two runs, one earned, on four hits, while striking out five batters and walking four over six innings to lead River Ridge to a 5–2 win over the Braves last Thursday. - photo by A.J. Gates

Sophomore Blake Reynolds collected the win on the mound, limiting #4 Belmont to two runs, one earned, on four hits, while striking out five batters and walking four over six innings to lead River Ridge to a 5–2 win over the Braves last Thursday. - photo by A.J. Gates

Updated: May 29, 2025, 5:54 PM

Published: May 29, 2025, 5:55 PM

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (May 20–27)
SIX RIVERS BASEBALL: #10 River Ridge 5, #5 Belmont 2

By A.J. Gates, Herald Independent

#10 Timberwolves upset #5 Braves to win a share of first baseball conference title
PATCH GROVE — Coming into the 2025 prep baseball season, coach Andrew Redman had a hunch his Timberwolves would be a strong contender for this year’s Six Rivers Conference baseball title.

“We have big goals to compete for our first-ever conference title,” coach Redman said this past April in the Grant County Herald Independent’s Spring Sports Preview.” We expect to finish high in the conference standings and rely on our experience from last season to lead us to a successful season.”

After finishing fourth in the conference standings a year ago with a league record of 4-8, the Timberwolves did in fact secure a share of this year’s conference baseball title with a victory in their final regular-season game of the year played last Thursday night.

With a 5–2 victory over visiting Belmont last Thursday night, coach Redman’s Timberwolves (16–7) team concluded the regular season with a league record of 14–2, claiming a share of this year’s conference title along with the Braves (17–5, 14–2).

Belmont, who entered the contest with a league mark of 14–1, could have taken sole possession of the conference crown for themselves with a win Thursday night, but the Timberwolves had other ideas.

“Coming out on top is a great feeling, knowing how much work our players and coaches have put into this,” said third-year head coach Andrew Redman. “My first two years as a head coach we won a total of seven conference games combined. This season alone we doubled that total with 14 conference wins, which was good enough to tie for the top spot.”

“The Six Rivers conference is loaded with great teams, and for us to claim one of the top spots is truly remarkable,” Redman added.

Aside from winning the first conference baseball title since the school’s inception in 1995, this year’s baseball team has also won the most games in a single season, and currently holds an overall record of 16-6 heading into the WIAA postseason tournament.

As they have done all season long, the trio of Blake Reynolds, Carter Copsey and Cael Koenig were at the forefront of last Thursday night’s win over Belmont, doing with their bats, their fielding and their arms.

Reynolds, who pitched the first six innings and collected the win on the mound, limited the Braves to two runs, one earned, on four hits, while striking out five batters and walking four.

Copsey came in to finish the game, pitching a scoreless seventh, striking out one batter and walking one.

At the plate, it was Koenig who led the Timberwolves, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. The team’s other four hits were scattered among Carter Copsey, Andre Nies, Noah Copsey and Brandon Davis.

After a scoreless tie for two and a half innings, the Timberwolves got on the board in the bottom of the third when Koenig’s one-run single scored Carter Copsey, who led off the inning with a double. Noah Copsey then followed with a one-run single of his own to score Koenig.

The Braves plated a run in the top of the fifth to make it a 2–1 River Ridge lead, but the Timberwolves responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Following back-to-back singles by Nies and Koenig, and an intention walk to Reynolds, Brandon Davis came up big with a bases-loaded two-run single to right field, scoring Nies and Koenig. Reynolds later scored on a wild pitch to give River Ridge a 5–1 lead.

The Braves added one run to their total in the top of the sixth, but couldn’t put anything together in the seventh with Copsey on the mound and the River Ridge defense behind him.

The Timberwolves are no strangers to close games this season, and have won a total of five conference games this season by one-run. They have also proven that, while Reynolds, Copsey and Koenig are undoubtedly the leaders of this team, they also have a stable of other role players that have come up big throughout the season.

“What makes this team special is that everybody takes their turn coming through in big moments,” said coach Redman. “We rely heavily on Blake, Carter and Cael, but three players alone doesn’t make a team. We’ve had several players who took on new or bigger roles this year and they contributed in big time spots.”

“This year our guys really focused on doing their jobs and accepting their roles on the team, which led us to having a successful season,” Redman added. “I’m proud of all our players and this program.”

Heading into the WIAA postseason tournament, the Timberwolves (16–7) hold the No. 2 seed in their division 4 sectional bracket. Following a first-round bye, coach Redman’s squad will host the winner between No. 7 seed North Crawford (10–9) and No. 10 seed Hillsboro (10–7) next Tuesday, June 3. The No. 1 seed in the bracket belongs to Seneca (20–2).

River Ridge 5, Belmont 2
(from Thursday, May 22, at Patch Grove)
Belmont..........000 011 0 — 2 4 2
River Ridge....002 030 x — 5 8 1
Leading hitters - RR: Cael Koenig 4x4. 2B — Carter Copsey (RR). W — Blake Reynolds (6IN,4H,1ER,5K,4BB). L — Austin (4IN,7H,5ER,4K,3BB). Other pitchers - RR: Carter Copsey (1IN,0H,0ER,1K,1BB).

Game of the Week

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