Pirates’ stretch run starts with three easy conference victories

GILMAN SOFTBALL

After completing a doubleheader sweep of the Eastern Cloverbelt Conference’s last-place team, the Gilman Pirates hope to take care of its two co-leaders in a two-day span.

Gilman’s 16-3 and 15-0 wins at Owen-Withee Tuesday put the Pirates at 7-2 in league play with three games remaining. They’ll likely need to win all three to have a shot to at least share the conference championship. The stretch starts today, Thursday, with a home matchup against 8-1 Neillsville. On Friday, Gilman visits 8-0 Greenwood-Loyal in Greenwood.

The Pirates lost 5-1 to Neillsville and 8-7 to Greenwood-Loyal in the first matchups of the spring. Greenwood-Loyal was at Neillsville Wednesday in a crucial make-up date from last Thursday’s rainout.

Gilman wraps up league play Tuesday by making up its rainout from last Thursday at Colby-Abbotsford.

In game one Tuesday against the Blackhawks (0-7, 0-9), Gilman took an 8-0 lead in the top of the first inning and tacked on two runs in the second, four in the third and two more in the fourth to build a 16-1 lead. Owen-Withee got two in the fourth to extend the game another inning, but got no closer.

Addy Warner struck out nine but walked six as head coach Brian Phelps said she had some trouble with the footing in the pitching circle. Offensively, Tychelle Duellman was three for four with a walk and two runs scored, Ava Warner was two for five, Madisyn James was three for four with two doubles and two runs scored, Addy Warner was three for five with a double and three runs scored and Hannah Vick was two for three with a double and three runs scored.

Game two lasted just three innings as Gilman scored nine times in the bottom of the first and five times in the bottom of the third to put the 15-run rule into effect.

Addy Warner’s third-inning grand slam was the big offensive moment in the win. The Pirates took advantage of 16 walks, a hit batter and several wild pitches and passed balls.

WIAA Division 5 regional play could begin as early as Wednesday. The Pirates are in an eight-team sectional half-bracket with Bruce, Clear Lake, Flambeau, McDonell, Owen-Withee, Prairie Farm and Thorp.

Gilman 11, Columbus 1

A first-inning infield single was all that separated Addy Warner from a nohitter while the Pirates constantly put pressure on Columbus Catholic’s defense in an 11-1, five-inning win on May 26.

A six-run second inning put Gilman in control early and, once Warner found her groove, that was more than enough as the Pirates had a successful return to play after a rare mid-season seven-day break.

Columbus Catholic got two runners on base in the top of the first and turned it into a run. But from there, Werner retired the final 14 batters she faced, 12 of which came by strikeout. She had 13 strikeouts overall. Cierra Dieringer led off the game by drawing the only walk Warner would allow. She stole second, went to third on Hailey Zimmerman’s infield hit to deep short and scored on an errant pickoff throw.

An errant pickoff throw put Gilman on the board in the bottom half. In the second, Gilman scored six runs while hitting just two balls out of the infield. Bryn Hendricks led off by dropping a soft liner on the rightfield line for a single and Hannah Vick beat out a bunt single. Tatum Weir scored both with a hard-hit single to left-center. Bailey Angell bunted Weir to second. She scored when Columbus threw away Ava Warner’s bunt.

Duellman slapped a single and Warner then scored on a wild pitch. After James drew a two-out walk, Addy Warner bounced a two-run single to left to drive in Duellman and James.

Duellman’s infield single drove in a run in the third. James reached on an infi eld single in the fourth and scored two errors later. The Pirates ended with a two-out rally in the fifth. Gracie Tallier walked, James hit an infield single and both scored when Columbus dropped a rocket hit to left by Addy Warner.

Gilman had nine hits off Zimmerman, who didn’t pitch badly but didn’t get a lot of help behind her. Duellman and James had two hits apiece. James scored three times. Zimmerman struck out nine, walked four and hit one.