LA CROSSE — The La Crosse Steam won four of the final six Northwoods League games to complete its second season with a 16-26 record.
That placed the Steam fourth out of five teams and five games behind second-place Minot (21-21), which qualified for a championship series against first-place Madison (35-7).
Catcher Avary Makarewicz turned in the team’s top offensive performance of the season by batting .365 over 115 at-bats and playing all 42 games. The Tennessee-Martin player and Ripon native hit 9 home runs and drove in 46 runs with 27 walks against 12 strikeouts.
Makarewicz also doubled 7 times, hit 3 triples, recorded 8 stolen bases and scored 29 runs.
Outfielder Ashlyn Porter batted .321 over 16 games, and first baseman Skyler Dietz maintained a .319 batting average over 32 games. Dietz also drove in 15 runs, scored 17 more and doubled 7 times.
Second baseman Grace Frechette batted ,306 over 39 games and led the Steam in runs scored (32), doubles (13) and ranked second to Makarewicz with 29 RBIs.
Outfielder Jackie Larsen batted .304 and catcher Calli Janik .298 as regulars in the starting lineup. Janik played all 42 games and Larsen 40. Larsen led the team with 16 stolen bases and had 17 RBIs, and Janik drove in 19 and ranked second to Makarewicz with 39 hits.
Mackenzie Willis was La Crosse’s top pitcher with a 5-2 record and 3.26 ERA over 49-plus innings. She struck out 43 batters, walked 16 and held opposing batters to a .217 average.
Karman Rowe posted an ERA of 4.85 over 30-plus innings, Elly Eckrich was 3-3 while pitching 51-plus innings, and Kylie Stark made a team-high 20 appearances and finished with a 4-7 record.
