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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
BLAIR – The Auburndale softball team had undefeated and No. 1 seed Blair-Taylor on the ropes but couldn’t push across the tying run in the final two innings and lost 4-3 in a WIAA Division 4 regional final on Wednesday.
Blair-Taylor (26-0) will host No. 6 Marathon (10-14) in a D-4 sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. Monday. No. 1 seed Horicon will be at home against No. 3 Onalaska Luther in the other sectional semifinal, with the winners meeting up Wednesday, June 23, at Blair-Taylor in the sectional final and with a state tournament berth on the line.
Blair-Taylor struck first with a pair of runs in the first inning.
Alivia Boe had an RBI groundout, and as the runner from second attempted to score, Auburndale committed a throwing error and the Wildcats led 2-0.
Callie Wagner had a bases-loaded double in the third to score two more. Auburndale cut the third runner down at home, but Blair-Taylor was able to go on top, 4-0.
Auburndale scratched back with two runs in the fourth on an RBI double by Ashlyn Grimm and an run-scoring single by Hailey Grimm.
Erin Griesbach had a sacrifice fly in the fifth to cut Auburndale’s deficit to 4-3, but the Eagles were unable to push another across as they end the season with a 16-6 record.
Wildcats 4, Eagles 3
Auburndale 000 201 0 – 3 6 1
Blair-Taylor 202 000 x – 4 7 1
WP: Abby Thompson. LP: Hailey Grimm. SV: Lindsay Steien.
SO: H. Grimm 2; Thompson (5 inn.) 6, Steien (2 inn.) 2. BB: H. Grimm 2; Thompson 0, Steien 2.
Top hitters: A, Kaitlyn Kundinger 2×4, 2B, run; Ashlyn Grimm 2×3, 2 2Bs, run, RBI; H. Grimm RBI; Erin Griesbach RBI. BT, Chloe Wagner 2×3; Thompson 2×3, 2B, 2 runs; Callie Wagner 2B, 2 RBIs.
Records: Auburndale 16-6; Blair-Taylor 26-0.