DARLINGTON – After playing just one of their first seven scheduled games over the first three weeks of the season, the Darlington Redbirds softball team got plenty of action on the diamond last week, posting a 3-2 record over the course of five games to even their record at 3-3 on the season.
    The Lady Redbirds opened the week with a 10-4 non-conference victory over Shullsburg/Benton in their home opener at Sieg Field on Tuesday, April 16.
    The game was deadlocked at 3-3 heading into the home-half of the sixth inning when the ‘Birds exploded for seven runs to secure the victory.
    Anna Fitzsimons went 2-for-4 with a double and three runs batted in to guide the Redbirds’ 12-hit attack, while Cassidy Cox finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored and Brianna King went 2-for-4 for the hosts.
    Emily Feuchtenberger was 2-for-3 with a RBI for the Miner-Zephyrs.
    Jena Foulker scattered four hits and six walks, while striking out four batters to earn the win in the circle.
    With the Pecatonica River overflowing into right field at Sieg Field during the latest bouts of rain this week, the Redbirds had to move their tournament from Darlington to Monticello on Saturday, April 20.
    The ‘Birds dropped a heartbreaker to the Monticello Ponies, 3-2, in the opener, and then bounced back with a 10-0 five-inning victory over New Glarus in game two.
    Mariah Wiegel’s two-run double in the second inning put the Redbirds ahead 2-1, but the Ponies answered back with single runs in the second and fourth innings to regain the lead.
    Cassidy Cox went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI against the Glarner Knights, while Taylor Cox went 2-for-2 and Jacke Johnson went 2-for-3 each with a pair of singles for the ‘Birds.
    Foulker surrendered just one hit and walked one batter to earn the shutout win over the Knights, and she allowed six hits and four walks with five strikeouts in the loss to the Ponies.
    Finally, at Darlington, on Monday, April 22, the Lady Redbirds returned to SWAL play by splitting a doubleheader with Fennimore.
    Darlington took the opener by a score of 5-3 thanks to a three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Golden Eagles turned the table on the Redbirds in the nightcap by scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure a 14-13 win for the split.
    The ‘Birds, who scored seven runs to start off game two and held an 11-5 lead in the fourth inning, plated a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to go ahead 13-12; however the Eagles had one more rally in them as they came from behind for a third time.
    Chloe Hinderman was 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Redbirds in game one, while Carly Gollmer and Caitie Chiaverotti each added two hits with a double. Taylor Cox also had two hits in game one.
    Cassidy Cox led the 18-hit onslaught in game two by going 3-for-4 with a pair of triples and four RBI, while Mariah Wiegel went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBI.
    Jacke Johnson also had three hits in five at-bats for the ‘Birds, and Caitie Chiaverotti, Anna Fitzsimons and Taylor Cox each had two hits in the game.
    Darlington’s game at Mineral Point on Thursday was postponed and moved to Friday, May 10.
    The Redbirds have upcoming games scheduled at Southwestern on Thursday, April 25; at Iowa-Grant (DH) on Monday, April 29; and at home against Southwestern on Tuesday, April 30. All three games are scheduled to start at 5 p.m.

Shulls/Bent… 020  100  1 –   4    4  4
Darlington….. 110  107  x – 10  12  2
Leading hitters: Shulls/Bent– Emily Feuchtenberger 2x3. Darl– Cassidy Cox 2x3, Anna Fitzsimons 2x4, Brianna King 2x4. 2B- C. Cox, Fitzsimons.
WP- Jena Foulker. LP- Melissa Brant.

Darlington… 020  000  0 – 2  4  1
Monticello… 110  100  x – 3  6  1
Leading hitters: 2B- Mariah Wiegel.
WP- Bruns. LP- Jena Foulker.

Darlington….. 123  31 – 10  8  1
New Glarus… 000  00 –   0  1  6
Leading hitters: Cassidy Cox 2x2, Taylor Cox 2x2, Jacke Johnson 2x3. 2B- C. Cox.
WP- Jena Foulker. LP- Jackson.

Fennimore… 002  010  0 – 3  6  1
Darlington… 002  003  x – 5  9  1
Leading hitters: Carly Gollmer 2x2, Caitie Chiaverotti 2x3, Chloe Hinderman 2x3, Taylor Cox 2x3. 2B- Gollmer, Chiaverotti.
WP- Jena Foulker. LP- Biddick.

Darlington… 710  300  2 – 13  18  4
Fennimore… 203  511  2 – 14  16  0
Leading hitters: Mariah Wiegel 3x4, Cassidy Cox 3x4, Jacke Johnson 3x5, Caitie Chiaverotti 2x4, Anna Fitzsimons 2x4, Taylor Cox 2x4. 3B- C. Cox (2), Chiaverotti. 2B- Wiegel (2).
WP- Winkers. LP- Jena Foulker.