WEST SALEM — The Arcadia High School softball team knocked off last season’s Coulee Conference champions in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday, but West Salem’s bats woke up in a big way to salvage a split on a chilly and rainy evening.
Sophomore Madison Grotjahn gave the Raiders a 4-3 win in the first game when she sent a two-out single to center field that brought sophomore teammate Tatum Drazkowski around to score in the bottom of the seventh inning. Drazkowski had singled to center with one out and stole second to move into scoring position for Grotjahn, who was 2 for 4.
Pitcher Layna Wozney was 2 for 3 for Arcadia (4-4, 3-1) and was walked intentionally to get to Grotjahn in the seventh. Wozney struck out six, walked one and allowed three earned runs in a complete game. She also stole two of Arcadia’s seven bases.
West Salem catcher Megan Johnson, a senior, was 2 for 3 with a double in the first game. Teammate Josie Brudos struck out 10, walked three and allowed eight hits.
The Panthers (3-1, 1-1) had 14 hits and scored four times in the fourth inning and six times in the fifth during a 14-4 six-inning win in the second game.
Brudos was 4 for 5 with a home run, two doubles and six RBIs for West Salem. She also struck out 10 more batters in another complete game. Senior second baseman MacLaine Heilman was 2 for 5 with a double and three RBIs from the leadoff spot, and center fielder Makinlee Marshall was 3 for 4 with a double, three runs scored and three driven in.
Pitcher Kaitlyn Bremer was 3 for 4 with a triple, and Amaya Schlesser scored twice for Arcadia in the second game.
Holmen 10, Central 0 (5)
HOLMEN — The Vikings (2-1, 2-1) shut out the RiverHawks (3-2, 1-1), and Gabi Stuhr allowed just four hits with five strikeouts and one walk in a complete game.
Holmen scored at least once in every inning and ended the game with three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Third baseman Josie Happel was 3 for 3 with three doubles, three runs scored and two RBIs for the Vikings while batting in the eighth spot. Makenzie Nunemacher, batting ninth, was 3 for 3 with three singles, three RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Marissa McHugh added a double for Holmen.
Pitcher Carmen Peterson was 3 for 3 for Central, which made two errors and received a stolen base from center fielder Elena Wagner.
Tomah 6, Onalaska 0
ONALASKA — The Hilltoppers (3-2, 2-1) were shut out on three hits by the first-place Timberwolves.
MJ Heit, Kylie Gilhausen and Zoey Lichty all singled for Onalaska, which allowed Tomah five runs in the top of the fourth inning at Jaycee Fields.
Sydney Kraus struck out six, walked two and allowed six hits while pitching for Onalaska. Only two of the six runs she allowed were earned.
G-E-T 13, Luther 1 (5)
GALESVILLE — The Knights (1-4, 0-3) had four hits and allowed a five-run third inning and seven-run fourth in a loss to the Red Hawks.
Left fielder Kayla Schultz had a hit and an RBI for Luther, which has lost four in a row since opening the season with a win over Aquinas.
Sparta 9, Aquinas 7
LA CROSSE — Sophomore shortstop Ava Fernholz was 1 for 1, drew three walks and scored four runs for the Blugolds, who gave up three runs in the first inning and four in the third.
The Spartans won an MVC game for the first time since their 2021 opener against the Blugolds, and this victory snapped a 49-game conference losing streak.
