SOMERSET — A two-run single with two outs in the top of the sixth inning by Brylee Vick gave the West Salem High School softball team its fourth straight WIAA Division 2 regional championship on Thursday.
The third-seeded Panthers (21-3) used Vick’s hit to center field and another strong pitching performance from senior Josie Brudos to beat second-seeded Somerset 4-3.
West Salem travels to top-seeded Baldwin-Woodville (21-0) on Tuesday for a sectional semifinal.
The Panthers allowed two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and faced a 3-2 deficit heading to the seventh.
A Madison Elsen single was followed by a double play and brought Brenna Pontius to the plate and the game on the line. Pontius singled to left field, Brooklyn Haverly-Ghelfi singled to right, and they wound up on second and third base.
Vick then sent a 2-2 pitch to center and brought Pontius and Haverly-Ghelfi home before she was thrown out trying to stretch her single to a double.
Brudos, who had 12 strikeouts while pitching a five-hitter, then struck out the side — all swinging — in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
Elsen and shortstop Parker Powell were both 3 for 4 for West Salem, which scored twice in the top of the first and led until Somerset’s two-run sixth.
Brooklyn Lee was safe at home on a double steal for the Panthers’ first run, and Powell doubled him Elsen for the second.
Brudos also had a pair of singles for West Salem, which has won four games in a row.
DIVISION 4
Iowa-Grant 6, Melrose-Mindoro 0
LIVINGSTON — The third-seeded Mustangs (16-6) were shut out and held to one hit by the second-seeded Panthers.
Miranda Banse singled to left field with one out in the second inning and was one of four baserunners for Melrose-Mindoro, which hurt its chances to hang close with six errors.
The other three came on an error in the fourth, a walk in the sixth and a walk in the seventh. Banse drew one of those walks and reached safely twice.
