MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (April 30–May 7)
SWAL SOFTBALL: Cuba City 3, Boscobel 1
By Casey Lindecrantz, Tri-County Press
Cubans beat Mineral Point, then Boscobel to keep SWAL title hopes alive
BOSCOBEL — The 9th-ranked Cuba City softball team improved to 12–2 (8–2 SWAL) over the last week with wins against No. 4-ranked Mineral Point on Tuesday, 7–6, Lancaster on Friday, 11–6, and at 3rd-ranked Boscobel on Monday, 3–1.
The Cubans got started quickly against the Pointers (12–2, 6–2), with Cuba City’s only deficit coming from a 1-run shot in the top of the first. The lead flipped in the Cubans’ favor in the bottom of the same inning, with Addy Schauff and Summer Rogers tagging home for a 2–1 lead.
A strikeout from Payton Gile, and strong defensive work from Schauff, Rogers, and Ella Vosberg held Mineral Point scoreless over the following pair of innings. Meanwhile, Cuba City scored four runs in the third to shoot out to a 6-1 lead. Rogers, Josie Kruser, Kraus, and Vosberg all tagged home plate over a pair of at-bats to push the advantage.
The Pointers then locked down on defense, allowing a trio of singles from the Cubans from the fourth through the sixth innings. By the top of the seventh, Mineral Point rallied to close the gap entirely, tying the game at six runs each, with the Cuba City half of the seventh remaining.
The Pointers walked Kraus in the first at-bat, whom Lainey Runde subbed in for as a courtesy runner. Runde, along with Vosberg were out shortly after, with Brooke Droessler on first from a Mineral Point error. Ella Barth was brought in as a courtesy runner for Droessler.
With a 1–0 count on the next at-bat, Ayla Nolan took her shot, hitting a single on a fly ball to center field. Barth booked it to third, and had home in her sights. Gile hit a ground ball to second base, but an error was the split second Barth needed to reach home for the walk-off.
Vosberg and Schauff led the Cuban offense in the win, posting two-for-four and two-for-three days, respectively. Vosberg also claimed a pair of RBI’s and a double.
Gile pitched all seven innings of Tuesday’s win, allowing four hits and six runs, walking three Pointers and striking out five.
On Friday, Cuba City never fell behind, opening with a 7–0 run over the opening innings against the Flying Arrows (7–6).
Cuba City had a weekend to rest ahead of its showdown at the SWAL-leading Bulldogs (12–2, 9–1), and the time paid off.
The Cubans gave up one run in the third, and won the game on a two-run homer by Kruser in the bottom of the seventh.
Boscobel grabbed the early 1–0 lead on a solo home run by three-time WFSCA All-State pitcher Gretta Grassel in the bottom of the third inning.
The Cubans tied the game on when Rachel Kraus and Ella Vosberg put together back-to-back singles off Grassel in the top of the sixth, and Kraus later scored on a Boscobel fielding error.
Addie Schauff reached on a one-out error for Cuba in the top of the seventh, before Kruser smashed a two-out, two-run blast to right field.
Gile earned the win, allowing a single hit and run with nine strikeouts and four walks over seven innings.
The Cubans were 10–1 in April, and they’re in prime position to earn a share of the conference title. Wins in a trip to Southwestern (4–11, 2–8) on Thursday, a home game with Iowa–Grant (11–6, 6–5) Friday, and at Riverdale (3–13, 1–9) Monday would set up such a championship opportunity Tuesday at home against Boscobel.
Cuba City 7, Mineral Point 6
(from Tuesday, Apr 30 @ Cuba City)
Mineral Point....100 004 1 — 6 4 7
Cuba City............204 000 1 — 7 8 5
Leading hitters — MP: Maddy Kabat 1x3, Ava Ingwell; CC: Addy Schauff 2x3, Ella Vosberg 2x4 (2RBI). 2B — MP:Kabat; CC: Vosberg.
W — Payton Gile (7IP, 4H, 6R, 5K, 3BB). L — Aida Tuttle (4.2IP, 4H, 1R, 1K, 2BB).
Cuba City 3, Boscobel 1
(from Monday, May 6 @ Boscobel)
Cuba City....000 001 2 — 3 6 2
Boscobel.....001 000 0 — 1 1 3
Leading hitters — CC: Josie Kruser 2x4 (2RBI), Rachel Kraus 1x3, Vosberg 1x3, Gile 1x3, Schauff 1x4; B: G Grassel 1x2 (1RBI). HR — CC: Kruser; B: Grassel.
W — Gile (7IP, 1H, 1R, 9K, 4BB). L — Grassel (7IP, 6H, 3R, 15K, 1BB).
