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THORP – The Spencer softball team took a big leap toward a No. 1 seed in the upcoming WIAA playoffs with a pair of victories Saturday.
Spencer beat Marathon 7-6 in nine innings and Stratford 5-1 at Thorp High School as part of the Gilman Slamfest, to run its winning streak to 15 and improve to 15-2 this season.
Marathon and Stratford, the top two teams in the Marawood Conference South Division, are in the same WIAA Division 3 regional as Spencer.
Kallie Reckner had two hits and two RBIs, and Brooke Kettleborough had a pair of doubles in the win over Marathon.
The international tiebreaker rule was used in the extra-inning game against Marathon, where each team begins the inning with a runner on second base. Each team scored one run in the eighth before the Rockets plated a run in the ninth and Macie Weber held the Raider scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
Weber did not allow a walk and struck out 17 to earn the win.
“I don’t know that I have been a part of such a back and forth game in my life,” Spencer coach Jason Gorst said of the win over Marathon. “We are about as equally matched with Marathon as possible. I am very proud of the girls for pulling this one out.”
Spencer scored four times in the fourth and added another in the fifth to get past Stratford.
Marisa Johnson, Weber and Lindsay Vaughan each had two hits for Spencer.
Weber held Stratford to just three hits and struck out three to grab the win against the Tigers.
Kiana Weiler had four strikeouts and gave up 11 hits in suffering the loss for Stratford.
Stratford defeated Hurley 4-1 and Glenwood City 10-0 in its other games at the tournament. Both of those games were played at Gilman.
Weiler earned the win with 12 strikeouts against Hurley.
Dallas Adams had two hits and two RBIs, and Brittany Bredemann and Casey Kolbeck each added two hits in the win.
Against Glenwood City, Lorrie Luepke three five shutout innings to earn the win, which ended via the 10-run rule.
Sammy Kaiser had a single, a double and two RBIs, Kolbeck had two hits and two RBIs, and Bredemann drove in three for the Tigers.
Rockets 7, Raiders 6 (9 inn.)
Spencer 001 220 011 – 7 7 2
Marathon 200 030 010 – 6 9 2
WP: Macie Weber. LP: Jahnke.
SO: Weber 17; Jahnke 11. BB: Weber 0; Jahnke 3.
Top hitters: S, Brooke Kettleborough 2×5, 2 2Bs; Lindsay Vaughan 2 runs; Kallie Reckner 2×4, 2 RBIs; Liz Baehr 2B. M, Emily Kind 4×4, 2 runs; Anderson HR, 2 RBIs; Seubert 2B; Hanke 2B.
Records: Spencer 14-2; Marathon 11-4
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Rockets 5, Tigers 1
Stratford 000 100 0 – 1 3 0
Spencer 000 410 x – 5 11 1
WP: Weber. LP: Kiana Weiler.
SO: Weiler 4; Weber 3. BB: Weiler 1; Weber 2.
Top hitters: ST, Lorrie Luepke 3B; Valieda Crillo 3B. SP, Marisa Johnson 2×4, 3B; Weber 2×3; Vaughan 2×3, 3 RBIs; Reckner 2 RBIs.
Records: Stratford 16-4; Spencer 15-2.
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Tigers 4, Midgets 1
Stratford 100 300 0 – 4 11 1
Hurley 010 000 0 – 1 4 0
WP: Weiler. LP: Pecotte.
SO: Weiler 12; Pecotte 1. BB: Weiler 0; Pecotte 1.
Top hitters: S, Dallas Adams 2×3, 2B, 2 RBIs; Casey Kolbeck 2×4; Brittany Bredemann 2×4, 2B, RBI; Kaylee Geiger 2B. H, Pecotte 2×3; King 2B; Czarnecki 2B.
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Tigers 10, Hilltoppers 0
Glenwood City 000 00 – 0 3 1
Stratford 505 0x – 10 8 0
WP: Lorrie Luepke. LP: Ludtke.
SO: Ludtke 1; Luepke 4. BB: Ludtke 7; Luepke 2.
Top hitters: S, Sammy Griesbach 2 runs; Adams 2 runs; Bredemann 3 RBIs; Kolbeck 2×3, 2 RBIs; Sammy Kaiser 2×3, 2B, 2 RBIs.