ARCADIA — The West Salem High School softball team forced a tie at the top of the Coulee Conference standings with a 6-5 victory at Arcadia on Tuesday.
The Panthers (9-1 overall, 6-1) avenged a 3-2 loss to the Raiders (6-1) in West Salem earlier this season, and the two teams are now tied for the lead and a half-game ahead of third-place G-E-T (5-1).
West Salem won its eighth game in a row by scoring twice in the top of the seventh inning and getting the final out of the bottom of the seventh with the tying run on second base.
Second baseman Parker Powell drove in center fielder Brooklyn Lee before shortstop Madison Elsen stole home to break a 4-4 tie in the seventh.
Senior Josie Brudos was 3 for 4 with two solo home runs and three runs scored for the Panthers, who also received two hits from Lee, who doubled and scored twice.
West Salem overcame five errors that led to four unearned runs. Brudos struck out 12, walked two and allowed five hits in a complete game.
Brudos led off the game with a home run and hit another solo shot in the fifth. The home runs are her eighth and ninth of the season and fourth and fifth in the past three games.
Holmen 7, Central 2
HOLMEN — The second-place Vikings (4-3, 4-1 MVC) scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning to take control of the RiverHawks (1-7, 1-2) at Viking Elementary.
Senior shortstop Macy Kline hit a three-run triple to left field to highlight the big second inning and Gabi Stuhr struck out eight and pitched a three-hit complete game.
Kline also scored two runs and recorded two of her team’s six stolen bases.
Second baseman Makenzie Nunemacher, Stuhr and right fielder Harper Tengblad also drove in one run apiece for the Vikings.
Shortstop Ellie Gillitzer singled, stole a base and scored once for Central, which also received one RBI each from center fielder Elena Wagner and right fielder Maleah Tomesh.
Aquinas 17, Viroqua 6 (6)
VIROQUA — The Blugolds (3-3) ended the game with six runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Aquinas finished with 10 hits — all singles — and was led by third baseman Lauren Von Ruden, who was 3 for 3 with four runs driven in and two stolen bases.
Shortstop Ava Fernholz drove in three runs, and first baseman Ava Scholze, left fielder Brynn Grabowski, catcher Ryann Klar and Sophie Bisek all scored three times.
Klar also drove in two runs while Scholze and center fielder Julia Kretschmer had two hits each.
Caledonia 6, Chatfield 1
CHATFIELD — The Warriors (8-1) scored twice in the fifth and sixth innings to pull away from the Gophers.
Pitcher Avery Augedahl was 3 for 4 with a double, two stolen bases and a run driven in while striking out 12 and walking to in a four-hit complete game.
Left fielder Nora Staggemeyer was also 3 for 3 with a double and a run driven in, and third baseman Paizley Lange drove in two runs.
First baseman Elsa Blum and right fielder Lily Augedahl matched Augedahl’s two stolen bases.
Tomah 11, Onalaska 3
TOMAH — The Hilltoppers (3-2, 2-2 MVC) scored twice in the fourth inning and once in the sixth against the first-place Timberwolves.
Catcher Claire Weigel singled and drove in two runs, and second baseman Kylie Gilhausen drove in a run and stole two bases for Onalaska.
Sparta 10, Logan 8
LA CROSSE — The Rangers (4-3, 1-3 MVC) allowed four runs to score in the top of the seventh inning as the victory escaped them.
Right fielder Cassidy Van Voorhis was 3 for 4, and Mariana Rojo and third baseman Kenna Streeck each drove in two runs for Logan, which took an 8-6 lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Catcher Maria Weber was 2 for 4 with two doubles, and center fielder Quinn Thompson singled in four at-bats.
First baseman/pitcher Kaia DePaolo stole two bases for Logan, which turned nine Sparta errors into seven unearned runs.
Augusta 7, Melrose-Mindoro 6 (8)
AUGUSTA — The Beavers scored in the bottom of the eighth inning to become the first team this season to beat the Mustangs (6-1).
Augusta also scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
Second baseman/pitcher Bella Rozek was 2 for 3 with a home run, a double and two runs driven in for Melrose-Mindoro, which took a 6-3 lead with two runs in the top of the sixth.
Pitcher/second baseman Opal Buchanan was 3 for 4 with a double and two runs driven in, and shortstop Cooper Zeman went 3 for 5 with a double and a triple. Right fielder Miranda Banse also drove in two runs for Melrose-Mindoro.
G-E-T 10, Luther 0 (5)
GALESVILLE — The Knights (0-5 Coulee) were held to one hit.
Catcher Hanna Lipps had Luther’s only hit, which was a single, which came with one out in the fifth inning.
