MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM CO-GAME OF THE WEEK (April 5–12)
PREP SOFTBALL: Shullsburg/Benton 14, Cuba City 6
By Tom Gunnell, Republican Journal/Tri-County Press
SHULLSBURG — Once the runs started coming for the Shullsburg/Benton softball team, they were coming in bunches.
The host Miner/Zephyrs were held scoreless over their first three turns at-bat before exploding for 14 runs over their final three turns at the plate to rally past Cuba City, 14–6, in a non-conference clash at Shullsburg’s Badger Park on Tuesday, April 5.
Senior Kennedy Allendorf led off the hosts’ fourth with a double to right for the team’s first hit of the season, and then sophomore Camden Russell followed with a single to drive in Allendorf for the team’s first run. That opened the floodgates.
Russell came in to score on a fielder’s choice by Hannah Reints to tie the score at 2–2, and Faith Burgess followed with a fielder’s choice that brought in Elsie Ennis and came around to score later in the fourth to put Shullsburg/Benton up 4–2.
The Cubans evened the score at four all in the top of the fifth, but the Miner/Zephyrs struck back with six runs in the bottom of the frame and then tacked on four more scores in the sixth to open up a 14–5 cushion. Eight of those 10 runs scored on Cuban errors.
Camden Russell finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple, two runs driven in and three scored, and she also earned the complete-game victory in the circle after allowing two earned runs on eight hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
Ella Paquette and Emma Pedley each had two hits for the hosts. Allendorf came around to score three runs, and Burgess scored twice and drive in a run for the co-op.
Cuba City starter Payton Gile had a no-hitter going through three innings, but had to leave the game after trying to field a ball bare-handed.
Cuba City….. 110 021 1 – 6 8 8
Shulls/Ben… 000 464 x – 14 9 6
Leading Hitters: CC– Summer Rogers 2x4, Maddison Carl 2x4. HR– Rogers. 3B– Carl. S/B– Camden Russell 2x3, Ella Paquette 2x3, Emma Pedley 2x4. 3B– Russell. 2B– Kennedy Allendorf.
WP- Russell (7 In, 6 R, 2 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 7 K). LP- Breeann Kraus (3 In, 14 R, 6 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 2 K).
At Shullsburg, on Tuesday, April 5