Future's bright for girls softball team
It was a year they’ll never forget.
They won 20 games for the first time in more than a decade. They chased a conference championship. And they laid the groundwork for future success.
Unfortunately for Middleton’s girls softball team, it came to an end on June 16.
Verona defeated the Cardinals, 13-3, in a WIAA Division 1 regional final stopped after six innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Middleton finished its first year under coach Brittany Carl with a 21-6 record.
“Verona always pushes us. There is no wiggle room in games against the Wildcats,” Carl said. “Their offense has the ability to change the game with a single swing from any spot in the lineup. That's exactly what we saw happen.”
That’s for sure.
Verona belted three home runs — including a grand slam by pitcher Alyssa Bostley. Hilary Blomberg and Sydney Toman also homered for the Wildcats.
Verona pounded out 14 hits, while Middleton managed just five.
“Verona beat us with the long ball,” Carl said. “They're an impressive team with a lot of power. To beat that, you need to put up runs, and we just never found our rhythm at the plate. A couple hits here, a couple hits there, but we couldn't string them together consistently.
“Sometimes that happens. It's just unfortunate that it happened against a team like Verona, in the second round of regionals. A single game doesn't define our season, but it's a tough way to end an otherwise great year.”
It certainly was a great year for Carl’s Cardinals.
After the 2020 campaign was canceled due to COVID, Middleton couldn't wait to get back on the field. And the Cardinals certainly made the most of their opportunities.
Middleton finished in third place in the Big Eight with a 14-4 league mark. The Cardinals posted their most overall wins since the 2007 campaign.
Middleton climbed to as a high as No. 3, in the WFSCA/WisSports.net Coaches Poll, the highest in program history. And Middleton had winning streaks of six and nine games while starting the year 15-1.
“Overall, this was a great statement season for Middleton softball,” Carl said. “I'm so proud of the way our athletes came together and competed all season long. We took on some great teams, some ranked teams, and made some incredible runs.
“This group had such easy team chemistry and worked hard to put Middleton on the map. We had a reliable pitching rotation, between (Ellie) Buza and (Bailey) Flock, backed up by a dynamic offense and an agile defense. Regardless of how the season ended, it goes down as a success in my book.”
Carl believes this is just the start, too.
While the Cardinals will lose a gifted six-person senior class, the future appears extremely bright.
“We're on the way up and all the credit goes to this year's special group of student-athletes,” Carl said. “This is only the beginning and I couldn't have asked for a better squad with whom to start this journey. From here, we don't rebuild, we reload. We have great talent coming up through the pipeline and I am excited to welcome the next generation of Cardinals into this program.
“As a first-year head coach, I had a vision. I wanted to build a culture of continuous improvement and challenge these athletes with a new system, with new priorities. I was truly fortunate to work with a group of coaches and athletes that were willing and able to not only buy in, but execute.
“They asked great questions and constantly made adjustments. I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead this Cardinals program and can't wait to see what's next. We learned a lot in this first year and I look forward to building on that in years to come.”
June 16
VERONA 13, MIDDLETON 3 (6)
Middleton …………… 002 010 — 3 5 2
Verona ……………… 300 451 — 13 14 2
Pitchers (ip-h-r-er-so-bb) — M: Flock (L; 3.2-7-7-7-3-2), Buza (1.1-7-6-5-1-2); V: Bostley (W; 3.1-3-2-0-2-2), H. Blomberg (2.2-2-1-1-4-0).
Leading hitters — V: H. Blomberg (HR), Bostley (GS), Toman 2x4 (HR, 2B), Pederson 3x4 (3B), Osting 2x4, Rivera 2x4, A. Blomberg 2x2.
