IOLA-SCANDINAVIA SOFTBALL HOLDS OFF RANDOM LAKE TO WIN D-4 SECTIONAL FINAL, EARN FIRST STATE BERTH
Zaleski Sports
APPLETON – For the first time ever, the Iola-Scandinavia softball team is heading to state.
The Thunderbirds held off a pair of rallies from Random Lake and defeated the Rams 6-5 in a WIAA Division 4 sectional final Thursday at Appleton East High School.
Iola-Scandinavia (19-6) will play in a Division 4 semifinal at Goodman Diamond in Madison on Thursday, June 9, at either 4:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Seedings and matchups for the 2022 WIAA State Softball Tournament will be announced on Friday.
Iola-Scandinavia struck for two runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Madeline Much and a fielder’s choice RBI from Myah Heschke.
The T-Birds added two more in the third on an RBI double by Marin Hoyord, who later scored on a groundout by Much.
Random Lake came back with three runs in the bottom of the third, before Iola-Scandinavia tacked on single runs in the fourth and fifth innings on an RBI double from Jaelyn Sivertson and another run-scoring out from Heschke.
The Rams put up two in the bottom of the fifth with Calah Harter and Becca Arendt delivering RBI hits to make it 6-5, but that was all they could muster.
Random Lake (16-5) had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the seventh before Much was able to induce a pair of fly balls to end it and send the T-Birds to state.
Thunderbirds 6, Rams 5
Iola-Scandinavia 202 110 0 - 6 8 1
Random Lake 003 020 0 - 5 8 1
WP: Madeline Much. LP: Calah Harter.
SO: Mad. Much 2; C. Harter (2 inn.) 2, Jayla Harter (5 inn.) 2. BB: Mad. Much 1; C. Harter 1, J. Harter 0.
Top hitters: IS, Marin Hoyord 2x4, 2B, 2 runs, RBI; Jaelyn Sivertson 2B, RBI; Makayla Much 2B, 2 runs; Mad. Much 2x4, 2B, 2 RBI; Myah Heschke 2 RBI. RL, Madelyn Abler 2x4, 2B, 2 RBI; Becca Arendt 2x4, RBI; C. Harter 2B, RBI; Hannah LaFever 2B.
Records: Iola-Scandinavia 19-6; Random Lake 16-5.