Story originally printed in the Tomah Journal or online at www.tomahjournal.com
Published - Thursday, May 15, 2008
Timberwolves stun MVC softball frontrunner
The Tomah High School softball team allowed 19 base runners at Gerke Field on Tuesday, but still managed to upset Holmen 3-2 in dramatic fashion.
Tomah jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning with a fence-clearing home run by Kasie Von Haden. Von Haden had three hits in the game, and two RBI.
Holmen nearly got a run back when the Vikings’ Laura Krings hit a single to left field with runners on first and second base, but Tomah’s Michelle Luebke threw home in time to end Holmen’s inning with a play at the plate.
Tomah got out of another jam in the fourth inning when Kendra Bundy recorded a non-assisted double play after Holmen loaded the bases with one out. Bundy caught a line drive hit along the third base line and quickly turned to tag the Holmen runner who stepped off third base to end Holmen’s inning. Bundy’s ground ball in Tomah’s half of the fourth was bobbled, scoring Kasie Von Haden to give the Timberwolves a 3-0 lead.
The Timberwolves got out of their biggest jam in the seventh inning. Holmen loaded the bases with nobody out, and scored two runs. With runners on the corners, Tomah center fielder Jill Martin caught a fly ball and threw to catcher Brooke Von Haden for a play at the plate and a game-ending double play.
“I knew she was coming home,” Martin said of the Holmen runner who tagged from third base on the game’s final play. “Not the biggest (play) of my whole career, but this year, it is pretty big.”
Ali VanHavermaet pitched her way in and out of trouble several times and recorded the win. She gave up nine hits and recorded two strikeouts. The Timberwolves’ defense came up with several plays, including two plays at the plate, to pull off the upset.
It was Tomah’s fourth win in six games. The Timberwolves are 6-10 overall after getting off to a 2-8 start.
“This was a big game for us right before the playoffs,” Tomah coach Ron Brieske said. “(Jill) has got one of the best arms out there, and she is very accurate. I am proud of the girls and how far they have come this year.”
The two teams will meet again in the first round of the Division 1 WIAA playoffs. Holmen earned the No. 3 seed and will host No. 6 Tomah at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Logan is the No. 5 seed and will play at No. 4 Baraboo at 5 p.m. Tuesday. La Crosse (No. 2) will host Madison West (No. 7 in the other first-round matchup.
Madison Memorial (18-0), ranked sixth by The Fastpitch Chronicle, received the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye.
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