FENNIMORE — The Iowa–Grant softball team clinched the outright Southwestern Wisconsin Activities League championship with a 12–1 victory at Fennimore last Thursday afternoon.
Sophomore Lexi Busse went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and three runs scored to lead the Panthers.
The Panthers improved to 18–1 on the season and 13–0 in SWAL with a 5–1 win over visiting Cuba City on Monday.
I–G scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break open a tied game. Senior Maranda McCarthy (18–1) struck out 12 and didn’t allow a walk in the complete game, three-hit victory.
“As a team, we have really been hitting the ball well and executing when runners are in scoring position,” said I–G head coach Deanna Fulton. “Our defense and pitching has kept most teams to two or less runs, which allows us to have a good shot to win each game. We have accomplished one goal this year and that was to win conference. We have more goals to accomplish and will continue to focus on taking it one step at a time.”
Iowa–Grant also won the four-team Viroqua Tournament on Saturday with a wild 11–7 comeback victory over the host Blackhawks and a 12–2 championship game victory over De Soto, the second-ranked team in Division 5.
The Panthers scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning against Viroqua, taking the lead on a two-run homer by senior Hannah Stevens. Freshman Olivia Liddicoat added a solo homer to make it 11–7.
Liddicoat homered again in the championship game and Busse belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule.
Iowa–Grant 7, Boscobel 2
(from Tuesday, May 9 @ Cobb)
Boscobel 010 010 0 — 2 4 4
Iowa–Grant 500 002 x — 7 9 1
Leading hitters — IG: Emma Liddicoat 3x4. 2B — IG: Katie Olson, Lexi Busse, Trinity Spurley.
W — Maranda McCarthy (13–1, 7IP, 4H, 2R, 1ER, 7K, 4BB). L — Olivia Grassell (7IP, 9H, 7R, 6ER, 3K, 1BB).
Iowa–Grant 15, Highland 5
(from Tuesday, May 9 @ Cobb)
Highland 000 401 — 5 8 5
Iowa–Grant 401 505 — 15 9 1
Leading hitters — H: Drury 2x4, Welsh 3x3; IG: Hannah Stevens 2x2, Trinity Spurley 2x3. 2B — H: Kari McMannes; IG: Spurley. 3B — IG: Spurley. HR — IG: Hannah Stevens.
W — Maranda McCarthy (14–1, 3IP, 2H. 0R, 1K, 1BB). L — Kari McManes (4IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 4K, 0BB).
Iowa–Grant 12, Fennimore 1
(from Thursday, May 11 @ Fennimore)
Iowa–Grant 210 324 — 12 11 1
Fennimore 000 010 — 1 7 2
Leading hitters — IG: Malery Peat 2x4, Katie Olson 2x4, Lexi Busse 2x2; F: Isabella Glassbrenner 2x2, Macy Gunerson 3x3. 2B — IG: Emma Liddicoat, Busse. 3B — IG: Busse. HR — IG: McCarthy, Olson.
W — Maranda McCarthy (15–1, 6IP, 7H. 1ER, 4K, 1BB). L — Taylor Ferretti (6IP, 11H, 12R, 10ER, 5K, 2BB).
Viroqua Tournament
Iowa–Grant 11, Viroqua 7
(from Saturday, May 13 @ Viroqua)
Iowa–Grant 000 204 5 — 11 10 2
Viroqua 201 103 x — 7 8 3
Leading hitters — IG: Hannah Stevens 3x4, Malery Peat 2x4, Olivia Liddicoat 2x3, Trinity Spurley 2x4; V: Waldenberger 3x4, Fergot 2x4. 3B — V: Holtz. HR — IG: Stevens, O. Liddicoat; V: Waldenberger
W — Maranda McCarthy (16–1, 7IP, 8H, 7R, 3ER, 6K, 1BB). L — Waldenberger (7IP, 10H, 11R, 6ER, 6K, 4BB).
Viroqua Tournament
Iowa–Grant 12, De Soto 2
(from Saturday, May 13 @ Viroqua)
De Soto 100 01 — 2 4 5
Iowa–Grant 231 33 — 12 6 3
Leading hitters — IG: Olivia Liddicoat 2x2. HR — IG: O. Liddicoat, Lexi Busse.
W — Maranda McCarthy (17–1, 5IP, 4H, 2R, 0ER, 4K, 0BB). L — Haakenson (4+IP, 6H, 12R, 8ER, 2K, 2BB).
Iowa–Grant 5, Cuba City 1
(from Monday, May 15 @ Cobb)
Cuba City 010 000 0 — 1 3 3
Iowa–Grant 010 040 x — 5 8 1
Leading hitters — CC: Ashley Cerjek 2x3; IG: Hannah Stevens 2x2, Maranda McCarthy 2x3. 2B — IG: McCarthy.
W — Maranda McCarthy (18–1, 7IP, 3H, 1R, 0ER, 12K, 0BB). L — Kayla Busch (4.1IP, 5H, 4R, 2ER, 1K, 2BB).
