ONALASKA — The fifth-seeded Onalaska High School softball team flirted with danger but found its way out of it during the first game of its WIAA Division 1 tournament on Tuesday.
The Hilltoppers (18-5) faced a two-run deficit to 12th-seeded DeForest as they went to the bottom of the seventh inning and responded with three hits and scored four runs while making just one out to secure a 5-4 regional semifinal victory.
Onalaska plays a regional final at fourth-seeded Verona on Thursday.
The Hilltoppers took down the Norskies in a rally led off by Cayenne Zinnecker’s triple and followed up by Zoey Lichty’s sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Qita Olson was then hit by a pitch and stole second before pinch runner Sophia Larkin scored on an MJ Heit single to left field. Heit went to second on the throw and remained there after a fly ball led to the first out. Senior Jenna Gansen then doubled to center — her second of the game — and brought home Heit with the winning run.
Gansen was 2 for 4, and sophomore Lauren Pica tripled for Onalaska, which received an RBI apiece from Kyle Gilhause and Alexa Larson in earlier innings.
Kraus allowed eight hits, struck out four and walked two in her regional pitching debut for the Hilltoppers.
Central 12, Madison Memorial 6
MADISON — The 10th-seeded RiverHawks (10-14) had 14 hits and scored nine runs over the final four innings after facing a 6-3 deficit after the second.
Shortstop Ellie Gillitzer was 3 for 5 with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs for Central, which scored twice in the fourth and fifth, four times in the sixth and once in the seventh.
Pitcher Carmen Peterson was also 3 for 5 with three runs scored and one RBI for the RiverHawks, who had four doubles and two stolen bases. Norah Holkup was 2 for 4 with three RBIs, and Jaymeson Buxton drove in three runs. Terri Shawley was 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Abby Wurm added a double.
Central plays at second-seeded Tomah on Thursday.
Holmen 7, Baraboo 4
HOLMEN — The eighth-seeded Vikings (8-13) beat the ninth-seeded Thunderbirds at Viking Elementary and extend a streak of winning at least one postseason to 13 years.
Right fielder Imani Toso was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs for Holmen, which scored three runs — two on Toso’s double — in the bottom of the first inning. Shortstop Macy Kline led off the first with a triple to right field and scored on a single by third baseman Avalee Euler.
Makenzie Nunemacher, McKenna McHugh and Kaylee Mosser also doubled for the Vikings, who continue their season with a regional final at top-seeded Middleton on Thursday. McHugh added two stolen bases.
DIVISION 2
West Salem 8, Platteville 1
WEST SALEM — The second-seeded Panthers (18-4) won their 11th game in a row and overcame three errors in a semifinal victory.
West Salem will host third-seeded Edgewood on Thursday with a spot in the sectional semifinals on the line.
Junior Josie Brudos struck out 10, walked none and allowed three hits for the Panthers, who pulled away from a 2-1 game with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Shortstop Madison Elsen was 2 for 3 with a triple and two RBIs, and center fielder Makinlee Marshall and Brudos went 2 for 3 with one RBI each. Brudos and Makena Ihle also tripled for West Salem, which received a double and stolen base from MacLaine Heilman.
Heilman, Marshall and Ihle also scored twice for the Panthers.
Mount Horeb 3, Logan 1
MOUNT HOREB — The eighth-seeded Rangers (6-20) nearly knocked off the top-seeded Vikings, but two sixth-inning runs were their demise.
Sophomore catcher Maria Weber knocked in Sophie Schmitz in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1 before Mount Horeb pieced together two runs in the sixth to win. Schmitz reached on an error and advanced to second base on a groundout before Weber sent a 1-1 pitch to center for the run.
The Rangers had just two hits — third baseman Kenna Streeck also singled — as Schmitz pitched a complete game. She struck out one, walked three and allowed eight hits — all singles.
DIVISION 3
G-E-T 7, Aquinas 6
GALESVILLE — The sixth-seeded Blugolds (10-13) fought back from a five-run deficit and took a lead in the top of the seventh inning before losing it in the bottom.
First baseman Ava Scholze and center fielder Tess Miskowski were both 3 for 4 for Aquinas. Scholze doubled home Miskowski and Ella Deets after they recorded two-out singles in the fifth.
Catcher Kathryn Savoldelli also hit a solo home run in the third for the Blugolds.
Somerset 4, Arcadia 3 (8)
SOMERSET — The Raiders (16-10) allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth inning in a game they led 3-0 after a two-run top of the third inning.
Sophomore catcher Tatum Drazkowski was 3 for 4, stole three bases and scored twice for Arcadia, which had seven hits but struck out 12 times.
Pitcher Layna Wozney drove in two runs, and pitcher Kaitlyn Bremer tripled and drove in a run for the Raiders.
Arcadia scored its third-inning runs when Wozney singled home Drazkowski, and Bremer tripled home Wozney for the 3-0 advantage.
DIVISION 4
Melrose-Mindoro 12, Whitehall 0 (5)
MELROSE — The top-seeded Mustangs (19-3) scored seven runs in the fourth inning to put away the Norse.
Right fielder Lauralee Stanton was 2 for 3 with three RBIs, and shortstop Cooper Zeman went 2 for 3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored for Melrose-Mindoro in its fourth straight win.
Emma Severson pitched a no-hitter and struck out seven without walking a batter. The Mustangs made two errors to break up the perfect game.
Severson also scored twice, and left fielder Kelsey Young scored twice and drove in two runs as Melrose-Mindoro advanced to a home regional final against fifth-seeded Onalaska Luther on Thursday.
Onalaska Luther 2, Cashton 1
CASHTON — The Knights (10-12) scored twice in the top of the seventh inning, and Addy Palubicki retired the side in order in the seventh to complete the victory.
Palubicki struck out eight, walked two and allowed the fourth-seeded Eagles three hits in a complete game.
The seventh began with a Julia Sill single to right field, and first baseman Karly Miller walked with one out to put two runners aboard. Right fielder Keira Paus then followed an infield fly with a two-run single to center for the tying and winning runs.
Miller went 2 for 2 with a double and a stolen base.
