SUPERIOR SHUTS OUT STEVENS POINT TO WIN DIVISION 1 SOFTBALL SECTIONAL FINAL

Zaleski Sports

MARSHFIELD – Superior pitcher Haley Zembo was just that – superior.

The Spartans’ hurler struck out 13 without a walk and held the potent Stevens Point offense to just four hits to lead Superior to a 9-0 win in a WIAA Division 1 softball sectional final Thursday at Madison Field.

The win sends Superior to the WIAA State Softball Tournament at Goodman Diamond in Madison where it will play a D-1 quarterfinal Thursday, June 9. Seedings and matchups for the tournament will be announced Friday. Superior will be making its first state appearance since 1993.

The Spartans’ offense gave Zembo all she would need in the second inning as they scored three times.

Superior added a pair of runs in the fifth, and Emma Raye and Melania Luostari hit home runs in a four-run sixth to finish off the scoring.

Raye finished 3-for-4 with four RBI, Paige Johnson was 3-for-3, and Alayna DeGraef had a pair of hits and scored twice for the Spartans.

Stevens Point was held to three singles and a double by Kaitlyn Klismith. The Panthers (24-6) put runners on base in five of the seven frames, but couldn’t get a run across.

Spartans 9, Panthers 0

Superior 030 024 0 - 9 12 3

Stevens Point 000 000 0 - 0 4 1

WP: Haley Zembo. LP: Delilah Abundiz.

SO: Zembo 13; Abundiz (3 1/3 inn.) 3, Maren Sauvageau (3 inn.) 2, Zoe Fink (2/3 inn.) 0. BB: Zembo 4; Abundiz 1, Sauvageau 1, Fink 0.

Top hitters: SUP, Emma Raye 3x4, 2B, HR, 2 runs, 4 RBI; Paige Johnson 3x3, run; Melania Luostari HR, run, 2 RBI; Alayna DeGraef 2x3, 2B, 2 runs, RBI. SP, Kaitlyn Klismith 2B.

Records: Superior 18-2; Stevens Point 24-6.