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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
BLAIR – Throughout the season, the Auburndale softball team has thrived in tight game situations.
The Eagles found themselves in another one on Thursday in their WIAA Division 4 sectional final matchup with Eleva-Strum, and again they found a way to pull out a win.
Danika Blomberg’s two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning led to the game’s only runs as Auburndale downed Eleva-Strum 2-0 at Blair-Taylor High School, staking claim to its first ever trip to the WIAA State Softball Tournament.
The Eagles (21-3) will play a Division 4 semifinal at the state tournament at Goodman Diamond in Madison next Thursday, June 6, at either 4:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Seedings and matchups will be announced on Friday.
“What a game!” Auburndale coach Mike Schulte said. “Great pitching on both sides, defense needed to be there and the defense was there. The kids kept picking each other up. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We got our opportunities there in the sixth inning and Danika came through with the big hit into right field.”
Auburndale freshman Morgan Griesbach and Eleva-Strum hurler Ruby Bartholomew were locked in a pitchers’ duel as baserunners were at a minimum.
The Cardinals (11-10) wasted its only true scoring opportunity in the third inning when a pair of infield singles put two runners on with one out, before Griesbach wiggled out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout.
Auburndale had baserunners in the first, second and fourth innings but couldn’t get anyone in and the game remained tie at 0-0 until the bottom of the sixth.
Mya Krings led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Griesbach. Breleigh Grimm reached on an error, with Krings moving to third, and then Grimm stole second to put the pressure on. After a strikeout, Blomberg fouled out a few pitches before dumping a shot into right-center field, chasing home two runs to give Auburndale the lead.
Griesbach walked Eleva-Strum’s leadoff batter Terris Quick in the top of the seventh, but Quick was doubled off as the Cardinals put on a hit-and-run and Joelyn Iverson hit a soft pop-up to second base that Grimm gathered and turned into a double play as Quick was in no-man’s land. Griesbach then struck out the final batter to set off a celebration for the Eagles.
“That’s the way our games have been all year,” Schulte said. “I credit our schedule and our conference. We have to play that way every night. We keep our nose to the grindstone and keep pushing forward. The girls did a great job with that tonight.”
Blomberg said she came into the game a bit cold at the plate and wanted to keep it simple.
“I feel like I’ve been struggling a little bit lately, and I just came into the game thinking about the basics and don’t over-think it,” Blomberg said. “That’s what I did and I got the triple.
“This means a lot. I was on the team last year when we won regionals for the first time in 33 years, we won sectionals this year for the first time, we won conference for the first time straight out…I believe in our team and I think we’re going to do great things.”
Griesbach finished with nine strikeouts and two walks, allowing just three hits as she threw her second-straight shutout in the playoffs. Blomberg, her catcher, was impressed.
“She’s probably the best pitcher I’ve seen in a while,” Blomberg said. “I love catching for her, she’s such a joy to have on the team and she gets it done.”
Eagles 2, Cardinals 0
Eleva-Strum 000 000 0 – 0 3 1
Auburndale 000 002 x – 2 3 0
WP: Morgan Griesbach. LP: Ruby Bartholomew.
SO: Bartholomew 11; Griesbach 9. BB: Bartholomew 2; Griesbach 2.
Top hitters: ES, McKenzie Turenne 2×2. A, Danika Blomberg 2×2, 3B, 2 RBI; Mya Krings 1×3, run.
Records: Eleva-Strum 11-10; Auburndale 21-3.