Softball Cards start strong
Middleton’s girls softball team opened the postseason in style Monday.
The Cardinals defeated Madison East, 12-0, in a WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal stopped after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. The Cardinals were the No. 3 seed in their half of the Middleton Sectional, while the Purgolders were the No. 6 seed.
Middleton will now travel to second-seeded Verona for a regional final Wednesday at 5 p.m. The sectional semifinals are June 21 and the sectional finals are June 23.
Middleton improved to 21-5 overall. The last Cardinals’ team to post 20 wins in a season was the 2007 group that went 20-3.
In Middleton’s playoff win over East, Ellie Buza went the distance and allowed just four hits. Buza also struck out five, didn't walk a batter and threw strikes on 50 of her 73 pitches (68.5%).
Middleton pounded out 12 hits and scored in every inning it batted.
Mackenzie Zimmerman went 2-for-3 with four RBI, while Giovanna Iosso was 2-for-3 with two RBI, a triple and a double. Olivia Hebert had two RBI and scored two runs, CC Hiorns had two hits and scored three runs, Jenna Redders scored a pair of runs and Abby Zumbrunnen had a double and drove in two runs.
In Middleton’s other action last week:
• Middleton 7, Beloit Memorial 0 — The Purple Knights forfeited on June 11. The Cardinals finished Big Eight Conference play with a 14-4 record, which was good for third place.
• Middleton 19, Madison La Follette 0 (5) — The visiting Cardinals scored 10 runs in the fourth inning and eight in the fifth and won a game stopped due to the mercy rule on June 10.
Jenna Redders went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored, while Giovanna Iossa also drove in three runs and had a double. Olivia Hebert went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Erin Schleusner was 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored.
Amanda Johnson was 2-for-2, Mackenzie Zimmerman had two RBI and scored three runs and Abby Zumbrunnen had two RBI and scored three runs.
Charlotte Yingling threw all five innings and notched the win. Yingling allowed just three hits, struck out seven and walked two.
• Middleton 10, Madison La Follette 0 (5) — Ellie Buza threw a five-inning no-hitter in a game shortened due to the mercy rule on June 9. It was Buza’s second no-hitter of the year and helped Middleton roll on Senior Night.
Buza struck out six, gave up just one walk and threw strikes on 45 of her 65 pitches (.692).
“The seniors put on quite the show on Senior Night,” Middleton coach Brittany Carl said.
CC Hiorns went 3-for-3, drove in four runs and scored twice, while Olivia Hebert homered and drove in two runs. It was Hebert’s 13th home run of the year and she now leads the state with 49 RBI.
Charlotte Sax was 2-for-3, Jenna Redders tripled and scored twice, and Bailey Flock scored a pair of runs.
• Sun Prairie 3, Middleton 0 — Visiting Middleton managed just four hits and fell to Sun Prairie on June 8.
Mackenzie Zimmerman had two hits for Middleton, which managed just five base runners.
“This was an all-around great softball game,” Carl said. “Very quick, efficient game. Lots of balls put in play, every single infielder on both teams saw action, and then some great plays by both sides to strand runners.”
Middleton’s Bailey Flock was the tough-luck loser, allowing three earned runs and striking out a pair in six solid innings.
“Bailey Flock took the loss in the circle, despite throwing an incredibly sound game,” Carl said.
June 14
MIDDLETON 12, MADISON EAST 0 (5)
Madison East …………… 000 00 — 0 4 1
Middleton ……………. 352 2x — 12 12 1
Pitchers (ip-h-r-er-so-bb) — ME: Wilcox (L; 4.0-12-12-7-0-3); Mid: Buza (W; 5.0-4-0-0-5-0).
Leading hitters — ME: Tuinstra (2B), Strigel 2x3; Mid: Iosso 2x3 (3B) (2B), Sax (2B), Schleusner (2B), Zumbrunnen (2B). At Firefighters Park, Middleton.
June 10
MIDDLETON 19, MADISON LA FOLLETTE 0 (5)
Middleton ……….001 (10)8 — 19 14 1
La Follette ……… 000 00 — 0 3 5
Pitchers (ip-h-r-er-so-bb) — Mid: Yingling (W; 5-3-0-0-7-2); ML: Stram (L; 4-11-15-14-0-5), Welling (1-3-4-2-1-1).
Leading hitters — Mid: Redders 2x4 (HR), Hebert 2x3 (2 3B), Schleusner 2x4 (3B); ML: West 2x2 (2B). At Olbrich Park.
June 9
MIDDLETON 10, MADISON LA FOLLETTE 0 (5)
La Follette ……….. 000 00 — 0 0 2
Middleton ……….. 433 0x — 10 7 2
Pitchers (ip-h-r-er-so-bb) — ML: Steam (L; 2.1-6-10-8-1-5), Welling (1.2-1-0-0-1-1); Mid: Buza (W; 5-0-0-0-6-1).
Leading hitters — Mid: Hebert (HR), Redders (3B), Hiorns 3x3 (2B), Sax 2x3. At Firefighters Park, Middleton.
June 8
SUN PRAIRIE 3, MIDDLETON 0
Middleton ……… 000 000 0 — 0 4 0
Sun Prairie ……… 021 000 x — 3 8 0
Pitchers (ip-h-r-er-so-bb) — M: Flock (L; 6.0-8-3-3-2-0); SP: Royle (W; 5.0-3-0-0-6-0), Baker (2.0-1-0-0-2-1).
Leading hitters — M: Zimmerman 2x3 (2B); SP: Royle 2x3 (2 2B), Rademacher (2B).
