MADISON — The Belmont Braves are heading to the WIAA softball state championship game for the fifth time in school history.
The #1-ranked Braves made quick work of No. 4 seed Ithaca in Thursday morning's first Division 5 state semifinal game at the University of Wisconsin Goodman Softball Complex. Belmont scored three in the bottom of the first inning — before hundreds of fans could even get into the UW parking ramp — and cruised to an 11–0 five-inning mercy rule victory.
The Braves (25–3) will face No. 2 seed and #3-ranked Almond–Bancroft (25–6) in the D5 state championship game Saturday at 8 a.m. The Eagles were 18–3 winners over the No. 3 seed Thorp Cardinals (18–10) Thursday.
Senior pitcher Kalli Hodgson improved to 15–2 on the season, allowing two hits in four scoreless innings with one strikeout. Hodgson also went 2-for-3 and drove in a run with an RBI single in the first inning. Sophomore shortstop Carsyn Ramaker struck out the side and walk a batter in the scoreless top of the fifth to close out the win.
Belmont took a 1–0 lead when junior second baseman Addy McNett led off with a single and eventually scored on a throwing error. Senior third baseman Kaci Riechers on a bunt single and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2–0, before Hodgson beat out an infield single to shortstop to drive in Lexi Riechers.
The Braves added two unearned runs in the bottom of the second to make it 5–0 when McNett (walked) and Ramaker (HBP) both scored on an error by Ithaca catcher Holly King.
After a scoreless third inning, Belmont piled it on with six in the fourth. The Braves loaded the bases with a leadoff double my McNett, Kaci Riechers was hit by a hit and Ramaker singled through the left side. Senior Morgan Freeman cleared the bases with a booming double to right centerfield to extend the lead to 8–0. Sophomore left fielder Emily Reuter added an RBI single, and sophomore first baseman Jaelyn Leitzinger completed the scoring with a 2-run single to through the left side to score Reuter and junior designated player Claire Runde.
Belmont will be playing for its third state championship Saturday morning after winning state titles in 2002 (D3) and 2019 (D5). This is Belmont's eighth state tournament appearance in 30 years under head coach Jeff Hogdson, who enters Saturday's championship game with a career mark of 558–193. The Braves also reached the state championship game in 2003 and 2006, and made state tournament appearances in 1999, 2009 and 2017.
For more info on Belmont's WIAA State Softball Tournament run, see next week's The Platteville Journal or Republican Journal.
