The Tomah High School softball team had a good week.

It was close to having a great week.

The Timberwolves won three of five games since Tuesday but suffered a pair of two-run setbacks. The losses -- 4-2 against Black River Falls Thursday and 6-4 to West Salem in the semifinal of the Tomah Invitational Saturday -- could have brought Tomah to within one game of .500. Instead, the Timberwolves emerged from the week with a 5-10 mark.

Tomah coach Ron Brieske said the victories set up an important game against Mississippi Valley Conference frontrunner Holmen on Tuesday.

“If we can win that one, I think we’ll be in good shape heading into the tournament,” Brieske said.

Tomah’s three wins were very satisfying ones. Friday’s 6-4 victory over Sparta completed a season sweep over the Spartans. The game was picked up from Tuesday, when the Timberwolves trailed, 2-1, in the second inning. The game was suspended at that point due to lightning.

The Timberwolves quickly erased Tuesday’s deficit by scoring four runs in the top of the third inning thanks to Ashley Kenworthy’s two-run homer and Kasie Von Haden’s two-run double.

Cortney Schalver delivered a two-run single for the Spartans in the third, but Tomah pitcher Ali Van Havermaet hurled shutout ball after that. She walked five and struck out five.

“That one was sweet,” Brieske said of the Sparta win. “It’s the Tomah-Sparta rivalry, and we always come after each other.”

In Saturday’s tournament, Tomah bounced back from the West Salem loss to batter Lodi, 5-0, in the consolation game. Three different players -- Kelsey Shutter, Kasie Von Haden and Julia Pasch -- sent home runs over the fence. Pasch’s was a two-run shot.

“We got some clutch hits from people we didn’t know could hit like that,” Brieske said.

Brieske also got an unexpected shutout from freshman pitcher Kala Lindley, who made her varsity debut. She pitched out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings to preserve the shutout.

“We knew Kala has been pitching well for the jayvees, but we didn’t know what she could do up here,” Brieske said. “She did what we asked her to do -- throw strikes.”

Tomah could have reached the championship but surrendered four runs in the top of the seventh to West Salem. The Timberwolves appeared in control after Kenworthy doubled and came home on a Shutter single to put Tomah ahead, 4-2, but an error, three stolen bases and three wild pitches allowed the Panthers to score their four runs.

“We didn’t come prepared,” Brieske said. “Sometimes I think the girls look at this tournament like a picnic with all the food that’s here.”

West Salem won the title by defeating Cochrane-Fountain City, 5-1, in the title game.

In the Black River Falls game, Tomah got off to a fast start when Kenworthy led off the bottom of the first with a single, went to second on Megan Ripp’s groundout and scored on Brooke Von Haden;s double.

Brooke Von Haden then scored on a single by Kasie Von Haden.

The Tigers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the third inning when Danica Rockney scored on a groundout and Laura Henkel scored on a fielder’s choice. Black River Falls added an insurance run in the fourth on Melinda Laudon’s RBI groundout.

Except for a bloop double by Brooke Von Haden in the sixth, Tomah didn’t have a good scoring opportunity the rest of the game.

Black River Falls pitcher Jenny Janke gave up just one other hit after the first -- a second-inning single to Jill Martin. Janke struck out five and walked one.

Black River Falls improved its overall record to 9-7.

The seeding meeting for teams in the upper half of the Tomah Sectional is Wednesday. Tomah is likely to begin tournament play on the road with a regional semifinal May 20.

The sectional semifinals and sectional final will be played in Tomah May 29 at the D.C. Dade Softball Complex.

BOX SCORES

Tomah 104 100 0--6 6 2

Sparta 202 000 0--4 5 2

Pitchers: T—Van Havermaet. S—Larsen.

W - Van Havermaet. L - Larsen.

Hitters: T—Kenworthy (2-for-4 home run), K. Von Haden (double, 2 RBI); S - Schlaver (2 RBI).

Black River Falls 102 100 0--4 3 0

Tomah 200 000 0--2 5 1

Pitchers: BRF - Janke. T - Van Havermaet.

W - Janke. L - Van Havermaet.

Hitters: BRF - Rockney (double), Mach (double); T - B. Von Haden 2-3 (2 doubles).