Belleville Softball Has Rough Week

On May 11th, the Belleville Wildcats softball team played a conference game in Marshall and lost, 3-6.
The Wildcats were first on the scoreboard with a run when leadoff batter Mickey Stampfl reached on a hit to the right side and McKenzie Downing moved her to 2nd base on a sacrifice bunt. Raina Nicholson reached on an error that moved Stampfl to 3rd and CC Grefsheim hit one out to right to plate her.
“Marshall came right back in the bottom half of the inning, pushing 2 runs across with aggressive base running. We were able to end the inning on a double play - fly out to Downing in left, relay to Stampfl who threw to Claire Patrow at 3rd for the 3rd out,” said Coach Connie Wunschel. “Their pitching stymied us for the next three innings, with 4 strike outs in 10 batters. Meanwhile, Marshall got 2 more runs in the 2nd where we had 3 errors and passed balls helping them to move around the bases. And after 2 outs in the 3rd, they got a runner on by walk, followed by 2 base hits that score 2 more runs.”
The Wildcats scored 2 more runs in the fifth inning. Emilee Ehlert pinch hit a hard fly ball to right field for an out, but Coach Wunschel says that perked the team up. Claire Patrow had a base hit to right, Karena Simmons walked and Stampfl got a base hit to load the bases. Patrow was tagged out at home on a Downing grounder to the right side, but an infield pop up behind the pitcher scored Simmons.
“On the throw to first Stampfl sped around 3rd, while Simmons was still laying on the ground at the plate! She was able to beat the throw home!” explained Wunschel.
Belleville had chances to score runs in the 6th and 7th innings, but couldn’t get any hits.
Kailey Prochaska pitched all six innings, striking out 2, walking 2 and giving up only 5 hits.
“Our big thing was the 5 errors we had, the physical ones that came in a bunch in the 3rd inning, as well as our mental mistakes,” said Wunschel. “We out hit them with 9 hits, but we left 7 runners on base.”
Mickey Stampfl led the team, going 3x4 and scoring 2 runs. Raina Nicholson had 2 RBIs and six other players had 1 hit apiece.
The Wildcats held Marshall scoreless for the final 3 innings.
On May 14th, the Wildcats played a non-conference game against Pecatonica, who, as Coach Wunschel noted, are playing some good ball as of late. Pec held Belleville to only 3 hits. The final score was Pecatonica 9, Belleville 2.
Pecatonica scored 5 runs in the first inning and collected 2 more in the 2nd and 4th.
Belleville scored twice in the bottom of the third.
“After a strike out, Stampfl reached on a full count walk, stole 2nd and 3rd base. Downing also walked then stole 2nd. Raina Nicholson then sacrifice bunted to score Stampfl, followed by a base hit up the middle by CC Grefsheim to plate Downing. That was all we had left in us,” said Wunschel.
Belleville had only 3 hits, walked 5 times and struck out 5 times. Grefsheim, Nicholson and Lindsey Kittleson had the hits for the team.
Kailey Prochaska pitched 7 innings, striking out 4, walking 3; 9 runs scored on 8 hits.
The Wildcats played at Evansville on May 18th, and will host Wisconsin Heights on May 20th and New Glarus-Monticello on May 21st.