Post Messenger Recorder -

On Saturday, May 9, the Belleville softball team played a make-up game against Lake Mills, winning 10-2.

Ryley Helwig started on the mound going four innings; she struck out three, walked none, and gave up one run on four hits.

Cassidy Heller pitched the last three innings for the Wildcats, striking out three and walking none. She gave up one run on three hits. Belleville had only two errors.

Offensively, Taylor Wallom was two for three with three runs scored, a stolen base, an RBI, a double, and a walk; Helwig reached the bases three of four times on walks and scored once; Alli Kowalski was one for three with two runs scored, one RBI, and one walk; Heller had a hit; and Tara Hanna hit a grand slam homerun in the fourth inning.

A day earlier, on Friday, the Wildcats battled Columbus, where they were routed 10-1.

“As a team we only had one error. When they hit it, it was over our heads or between fields,” explained Head Coach Connie Wunschel. “I thought we played solid. The bottom of their order really got to us, scoring five runs and collecting seven of their 12 hits. We managed only four hits: a lot of grounders. They had a slow pitcher, and we could not hit off of her.”

Heller went four innings, facing 22 batters; she struck out two and walked none while giving up eight runs – five earned – and nine hits.

At Wisconsin Heights on Thursday, the Wildcats won a thriller, 3-2.

Heller pitched all seven innings, facing 31 batters. She gave up eight hits and two earned runs while striking out one and walking zero.

“By the stats, we shouldn’t have won this one. Both teams committed two errors, but one of theirs came at a bad time and ours ended up not hurting us. Fortunately, they left eight players on base,” stated Wunschel.

On Monday, May 4, Belleville faced off against Poynette, losing 17-2.

“We played them pretty tough in the first two innings as they only scored two runs, but in the third, the flood gates opened,” said Wunschel. “They scored 11 runs.”

Helwig went three innings and two outs for the Wildcats, giving up five hits and 10 runs while striking out two and walking four. Next up was Heller who pitched the rest of the game. She struck out two and walked zero, but she gave up 10 hits and seven runs.

At the plate, Wallom was one for three; Miranda O’Rourke was one for two with one run scored and a double; Heller was one for two with a RBI and a run scored; and Mariah Hustad was zero for one but reached on an error to score Heller.