GRATIOT – The first seven batters of the game reached base and scored for Shullsburg/Benton as they jumped all over host Black Hawk from the opening pitch en route to a 16-2 non-conference softball victory at Gratiot Park on Tuesday, April 10.
    The Miner-Zephyrs (2-2 overall) sent 13 batters in the opening inning on the way to a quick 9-0 lead. Outfielder Holly Rennert doubled and scored twice during the rally, while shortstop Lauren Malone drove in two runs and scored twice for the guests. Outfielder Anna Holland also had a two-run double for S/B.
    The Warriors (1-2) manufactured a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit to 9-2, but the Miner-Zephyrs answered back with three insurance runs in the second inning and three more in the third to pull ahead 15-2.
    Malone and Holland each finished with two hits and two RBI for S/B. Emma Neis went 2-for-2 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI, and she tossed two scoreless innings of relief in the pitching circle retiring all six batters she faced with four strikeouts.
    Sophomore Melissa Brant earned the win after surrendering two unearned runs on two hits with one walk and four Ks, and she also drilled a double for the guests.
    Black Hawk pitcher Abby Schiferl gave up 11 hits, walked five and struck out five, and she drove in a run for the hosts. Shortstop Jen Wellnitz singled and scored for the Warriors, Tessa Cushman added a run.
    Shullsburg/Benton heads to Belmont for a Six Rivers West game on Thursday, April 19, starting at 5 p.m. The Miner-Zephyrs have upcoming non-conference games at Southwestern on Friday, April 20 (4:30 p.m.); at home (Shullsburg) against East Dubuque on Monday, April 23 (5 p.m.), and at Darlington on Tuesday, April 24 (4:30 p.m.).
    Black Hawk (1-1) hosts Argyle in a Six Rivers East game in Gratiot on Thursday, April 19, starting at 5 p.m. The Warriors head to Barneveld for another SRE game on Tuesday, April 24, also at 5 p.m.

Shulls/Bent… 933  01 - 16  11    2
Black Hawk… 200  00 -   2    2  11
Leading Hitters: Shulls/Bent– Emma Neis 2x2, Lauren Malone 2x3, Anna Doyle-Chandler 2x4, Anna Holland 2x5. 2B- Holland, Holly Rennert, Melissa Brant. Black Hawk– None.
WP- Melissa Brant. LP- Abby Schiferl.
At Gratiot on Tuesday, April 10

BELMONT
    After starting off the week with a pair of walk-off wins over Galena, 6-5, last Monday, April 9, and Lancaster, 3-2, on Tuesday, April 10, the #6-ranked Lady Braves kept up their winning ways by rolling over Argyle, 14-7, on Thursday, April 12, and Cassville/Ridge, 16-1, this past Monday to run their season record to 8-0 overall on the season and 2-0 in the Six Rivers West.
    Senior catcher Molly Bockhop’s third double of the game proved to be the game-winner against the previously unbeaten Flying Arrows (6-1) as teammate Daisy Cunzenheim scored all the way from first base on Bockhop’s blast to snap a 2-2 tie and send the Lady Braves to their fourth straight walk-off victory.
    Bockhop finished 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Braves.
    Junior pitcher Kalyn Kamps earned the win after scattering four hits and striking out five batters.
    Facing Cassville/River Ridge for the second time in 11 days, the Lady Braves tallied 16 runs on 13 hits to power their way to a 16-1 five-inning SRW victory over the Comet-T’Wolves (4-6, 0-3).
    Bockhop continued her torrid hitting by smashing a pair of home runs as the Braves sent four balls out of the park on the night. Katelyn Schobert and Niki Jenkins also homered for Belmont.
    Jenkins finished 3-for-3 at the plate, while Schobert (2x3), Bockhop (2x4), Cunzenheim (2x5, 3B) and Kamps (2x3, 2B) all had multi-hit games for the Braves.
    Kamps also allowed just one run on two hits to earn the win in the circle
    Belmont hosts Shullsburg/Benton on Thursday, April 19, and Highland on Tuesday, April 24, in a pair of SRW games starting at 5 p.m.

Belmont…. 240  73 - 16  13  1
Cass/RR… 010  00 -   1    2  2
Leading Hitters: Nikki Jenkins 3x3, Katelyn Schobert 2x3, Kalyn Kamps 2x3, Molly Bockhop 2x4, Daisy Cunzenheim 2x5. HR- Jenkins, Schobert, Bockhop (2). 3B- Cunzenheim. 2B- Kamps.
WP- Kalyn Kamps. LP- Phillips.
At Cassville on Monday, April 16

Lancaster… 200  000  0 - 2  4  0
Belmont…... 000  002  1 - 3  9  0
Leading Hitters: Molly Bockhop 3x4, Mallory Ray 2x3. 2B- Bockhop (3).
WP- Kalyn Kamps. LP- Duncan.
At Belmont on Tuesday, April 10

Galena.…. 202  100  00 - 5    8  2
Belmont… 000  500  01 - 6  14  1
Leading Hitters: Katelyn Schobert 2x3, Molly Bockhop 2x4, Niki Jenkins 2x4. HR- Schobert. 2B- Schobert, Jenkins.
WP- Kalyn Kamps. LP- Miles.
At Belmont on Monday, April 9

Belmont… 451  002  2 - 14  17  2
Argyle..…. 031  030  0 -   7    7  1
Leading Hitters: Molly Bockhop 3x3, Kalyn Kamps 3x3, Katelyn Schobert 3x5, Niki Jenkins 3x5, Alli Linneman 2x3. 3B- Jenkins, Emma Eastlick. 2B- Kamps.
WP- Kalyn Kamps. LP- J. Treuthardt.
At Argyle on Thursday, April 12

DARLINGTON
    The Lady Redbirds’ struggles on the diamond continued after dropping four 10-run rule contests over a span of seven days.
    The ‘Birds dropped a 17-0 decision on the road at Iowa-Grant on Thursday, April 12, and a 14-1 decision at home to Boscobel on Monday, April 16, to slip to 0-4 in the SWAL this season.
    After getting one-hit by the Panthers (2-3, 2-1) on Thursday, Darlington grabbed an early 1-0 lead on Taylor Cox’s first-inning home run, but the Bulldogs (4-3, 2-2) charged back with eight runs in the second frame and five more in the third to pull away from the ‘Birds.
    Cox finished 2-for-3 with a homer and a double to lead Darlington, while Cait Fleming went 3-for-3 with a double.
    In non-conference action, the Redbirds fell to Monticello, 15-3, at home on Tuesday, April 10, and to Argyle, 16-0, at Argyle on Friday, April 13, to drop to 0-7 overall on the year.
    Cassidy Cox tripled against the Ponies (3-0), and Jacke Johnson had two of the team’s four hits against the Orioles (1-3).
    Darlington has now lost 31 consecutive SWAL games and 43 straight games overall.
    Darlington has SWAL games at Riverdale (Muscoda) on Thursday, April 19, and at home against Cuba City on Monday, April 23, both starting at 4:30 p.m.
    The Lady Redbirds will host Shullsburg/Benton in a non-conference game at Sieg Field on Tuesday, April 24, at 4:30 p.m.

Boscobel….. 085  10 - 14  15  0
Darlington… 100  00 -   1    6  3
Leading Hitters: Cait Fleming 3x3, Taylor Cox 2x3. HR– T. Cox. 2B– T. Cox, Fleming.
WP- Wunnicke. LP- Laura Steiner.
At Darlington on Monday, April 16

Darlington…. 000  00 -   0    1  5
Iowa-Grant… 463  4x - 17  14  0
Leading Hitters: None.
WP- Leix. LP- Adria Braley.
At Cobb on Thursday, April 12

Monticello… 202  209 - 15  19  2
Darlington… 020  100 -   3    6  4
Leading Hitters: 2B- Cassidy Cox.
WP- Klossner. LP- Jena Foulker.
At Darlington on Tuesday, April 10