Pirates hit a tough stretch against conference’s better squads

GILMAN SOFTBALL

Softball life remained difficult this past week for the Gilman Pirates, who dropped four games to teams that all sit above them in the current Eastern Cloverbelt Conference standings, including two on Tuesday to the Neillsville Warriors.

In a doubleheader that was switched to Neillsville, the Warriors cruised to a 12-0, five-inning win in game one. Playing as the home team in game two, Gilman took a 2-1 lead in the first inning, but the Warriors just slowly but surely extended their lead before a three-spot in the top of the seventh put it out of reach.

In game one, big second and fourth innings propelled the Warriors (5-1, 5-2) to the big victory.

“That was a game where we just played slow and didn’t react,” Gilman head coach Brian Phelps said. “Errors hurt. We’re growing up and when we’re playing against a good team, we’re going to make some mistakes at times. In both of those big innings we should have been out of there with no runs.”

Gilman pitcher Tatum Weir struck out three and walked two. The Pirates had seven defensive errors. Bryn Hendricks one for two at the plate, Allison Krizan one for two and Eva Kopacz was one for two with a walk.

The Pirates (1-3, 2-4) showed more spark in game two. Actually in both games, Phelps said the positive in the doubleheader was the way the Pirates swung the bats.

that was misplayed, allowing two runs to score.

While the Warriors made a mistake on that play, Phelps said he was highly impressed with their shortstop, Emma Moseley, who cleaned up several of those hard-hit balls the Pirates had.

“She stole like four hits from us in each game,” he said. “And we battled her pretty well too at the plate, but she’s a tough out.”

Duellman was two for four for Gilman, Hendricks one for four with a double and was robbed of potentially another. Kenlyn Kroeplin one for two with a walk and reached on an error.

The Pirates now hit a softer portion of the schedule starting with a doubleheader today, Thursday, at Owen-Withee. They’ll be at Spencer Monday for another doubleheader before hosting Columbus Catholic May 12 and Loyal-Greenwood the following day.

The Gilman-Thorp Slamfest is also set for Saturday. The Pirates are scheduled to play Cornell-Lake Holcombe at 10 a.m. and Stratford at 4 p.m.

Columbus 7, Gilman 2

On Friday, the Pirates went into Marshfield short-handed without two starters, first baseman Jayda Rosemeyer who is feared to be lost for the season with a knee injury and Kroeplin, their catcher, who was ill, and pushed Columbus Catholic, but a three-run fourth was too much to overcome in a 7-2 loss.

The Pirates had just two hits. Hendricks and Weir both went one for three. Kayleigh James walked three times against Columbus pitcher Hailey Zimmermann.

Warner drove in a run in the first to give Gilman a 1-0 lead that stood until the bottom of the third when the Dons tied it. The three-run fourth started with an error and another error one batter later got the ball rolling as Columbus Catholic took a 4-1 lead.

Weir drove in Gilman’s second run in the sixth, bringing the Pirates within 5-2, but a two-run rally by the home team in the bottom half put it out of reach.

“We put the bat on the ball but just hit it at everybody,” Phelps said. “Tatum had four strikeouts, two walks and allowed five hits. Good enough to win.”

L-G 4, Gilman 2

On Thursday, Gilman put a scare into conference-leading Loyal-Greenwood, but a couple of key miscues and the lack of a big hit or two allowed the host Greenhounds to escape with a 4-2 win.

The Pirates stranded nine runners, including two in the top of the seventh, and scored their only runs in the fifth inning, which tied the game at 2-2. The Greenhounds scored single runs in the next two frames and held off the last-inning threat to stay unbeaten in league play.

The Pirates collected seven hits off Loyal-Greenwood starter Emma Schlough, who struck out seven and walked four. Weir was just as good for Gilman, striking out five, walking two and allowing eight hits. Only one of Loyal- Greenwood’s runs was earned. “We just made young mistakes,” Phelps said. “I use that expression a lot, but I keep telling the kids we’re growing up. We’re doing a lot of good things. We’re doing more good things than bad.”

Loyal-Greenwood turned miscues into single runs in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. The Pirates left two runners on base in both the first and third innings. But they broke through in the fifth. It started when Kroeplin lined a leadoff triple under the glove of rightfi elder Tysen Lindner. With one out, James dropped down a sacrifice bunt to score Kroeplin and, as a bonus, she reached when the throw from catcher Zaida Brock pulled first baseman Courtney Rakovec off the bag.

Warner singled and, with two outs, Weir dropped a single into centerfield to score James with the tying run.

An errant throw on a dropped third strike allowed Loyal-Greenwood to break the tie in the bottom half and Schlough dumped a key two-out RBI single the opposite way into left to make it 4-2 in the sixth.

Duellman walked and Warner hit a one-out infield single in the seventh, but Schlough got Hendricks and Weir to hit into consecutive forceouts to third baseman Mya Rueth to end it.

Warner and Weir had two hits apiece for Gilman, while Hendricks, Duellman and Kroeplin had one each. Schlough and Rakovec had three hits apiece for Loyal-Greenwood.

“Our six freshmen have a lot of growing up to do but I’m very proud of them,” Phelps said. “I’m proud of all the girls. They keep battling. Tatum has just been a warrior for us. She just keeps smiling and improving. It’s starting to click for her and her bat’s been hot.”