Sweep keeps Pirates on top going into matchups with contenders

GILMAN SOFTBALL

A doubleheader sweep over Spencer Tuesday kept Gilman undefeated in early-season Eastern Cloverbelt Conference softball, but this week, the Pirates will get a better idea of where they stand when they face the two teams sitting with them atop the standings.

The 16-0 and 11-1 wins over the visiting Rockets put Gilman at 4-0 in the league and 7-3 overall heading into a showdown tonight, Thursday, at Neillsville. The Warriors improved to 4-1 in league play Tuesday with an easy doubleheader sweep of Colby-Abbotsford. Monday brings Greenwood-Loyal to town for a 5 p.m. first pitch. That one-year co-op is 3-0 in league play, including a 7-4 win over Neillsville on Friday.

The Pirates needed just three innings to take care of the Rockets in Tuesday’s opener. The Pirates scored seven in the first inning, four in the second inning and two in the third to put the 15-run rule into effect.

Addy Warner struck out eight of the 13 batters she faced and didn’t allow a hit. She walked two and hit a batter.

Offensively, the Pirates rocked Spencer starter Madison Knecht for a dozen hits, led by Warner, who was three for three with a double and seven runs batted in. Madisyn James was three for three with three RBIs and three runs scored. Hannah Vick was two for three with a double and two RBIs. Bryn Hendricks also went two for three.

Gilman head coach Brian Phelps said the Pirates focused on hitting adjustments in practice Monday after seeing some pictures and video from games played over the weekend and that seemed to help.

“It was good in that we were able to pick some things out and show some kids some things,” Phelps said. “Hopefully we’re able to continue down that path.”

The Pirates were back at it in game two, putting it away in six innings. Zalexis Mannigel kept the Pirates off the board in the first two frames, but Gilman put up a three-spot in the third, added four in the fourth to go up 7-0 and tacked on two runs in the each of the last two innings.

Warner pitched all six innings, which Phelps said was intended to prepare his senior for what he expects will be some key, tight games late in the season.

“Two years ago Addy pitched a lot of innings and we were pretty even, but Katie Webster pitched the big innings,” Phelps said. “This realistically ended up being a nine-inning game for Addy. She needs to learn to finish. When you get into a seventh or eighth inning you really have to start using your legs. It also gave us a chance to work on her change up. She gave up four hits, but we threw a ton on change ups. It was a productive night. It also made our defense work.”

Warner struck out 14, walked only one and allowed an earned run in the final inning.

James had a big game at the plate, going four for four with a double, a walk and three runs driven in. Warner was two for four with a double and two RBIs. Vick stayed hot, going two for three. Tatum Weir was two for four and Bailey Angell was three for three with a walk and two driven.

After the two key conference games, Gilman will make a non-conference trip to Fall Creek on Tuesday.

0-2 in Slamfest

The end result was the same with losses, but they came in very different fashions for Gilman in Saturday’s Gilman- Thorp Slamfest.

The Pirates finished the day by dropping a well-pitched 1-0 game to Grantsburg, who got a bunt single, a stolen base and then an RBI single from their number-three hitter in the first inning to score the game’s only run.

Warner struck out 10, didn’t walk a batter and scattered six hits. Unfortunately, Grantsburg’s Ellie Tebow was just a bit better. Vick was two for three for Gilman, Tychelle Duellman, James and Warner had hits as well.

“We had chances to score,” Phelps said. “That’s the way games are supposed to be in fastpitch softball. Defensively we played well. Addy got into double-digit strikeouts.

“It was a fun game,” he added. “The girls had fun. Win or lose, those are the sort of games you like to play. That preps you for big games. We stranded runners. You’re not going to get a lot of chances when a pitcher is throwing well. You have to capitalize on moving those runners into scoring position.”

The Pirates took a look at some of their younger players in key positions in game one, and Shell Lake took full advantage by rolling to a 24-1 win in four innings.

The Lakers scored five runs in a rough defensive first inning for the Pirates, two in the second, four in the third and really broke it open with a 13-run fourth.

“We can’t commit eight errors when our pitcher is throwing strikes,” Phelps said. “That’s really the bottom line. We committed six errors with two outs. Once we started booting the ball around, we didn’t quit. It was unacceptable.”

Gilman stranded five runners in the first three innings as Laker pitcher Kianna Kidder got key outs when she needed them. The Pirates avoided the shutout in the fourth when Vick reached on a oneout double and scored on Bailey Angell’s sacrifice fly to right off reliever Alexis McCracken.

Duellman, Gracie Tallier and James had hits for Gilman.

Weir pitched and allowed 20 hits. She struck out two and walked six. Kidder had two doubles and three RBIs for the Lakers, Candace Skattebo was three for five with three RBIs and Kylee Dahlstrom and Haley Betts were both three for five.

A five-run rally in the bottom of the third inning broke a scoreless tie and propelled the Pirates to an 8-3 ECC win over Colby-Abbotsford on Friday.

Four straight hits off Colby-Abbotsford starter Kya Viegut sparked the game-changing rally. Jayda Rosemeyer got it started with a base hit. Ava Warner got a base knock as did Duellman. James knocked in two runs with a single. Hendricks’ sacrifice resulted in two runs scoring.

The Pirates tacked on two more in the fourth to go up 7-1. The visitors got two in the fifth before Gilman closed the scoring with a single run in the bottom half.

Vick was two for three with an RBI double and two runs scored. James was one for two with her big two-run singles, drew two walks and scored twice. Weir was one for two with a double and two walks. Addy Warner went the distance, allowing six hits, one walk and two earned runs while striking out 14.

An 8-2 win

A five-run fourth inning pushed the Pirates past host Columbus Catholic 8-2 Thursday in Gilman’s first Eastern Cloverbelt Conference game of the spring.

The big inning overturned a 1-0 deficit that had stood since the bottom of the first inning. Addy Warner made it stand as she struck out 14 batters, didn’t walk anyone and allowed just three hits.

Hailey Zimmerman’s groundout drove in Sam Casperson, who had doubled to right and stolen third base, to give the Dons their early lead. The tide started to turn, however, with a one-out single by James in the top of the fourth. Hendricks reached on an error. Weir lined a base hit to score James and tie it at 1-1.

After Vick walked to load the bases, Angell lined a two-run double down the

Bailey Angell hits a shot that Shell Lake’s second baseman can’t handle during Saturday’s loss.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS