Post Messenger Recorder -

The Belleville Wildcats softball team hosted Waterloo on May 4th. The Wildcats lost in five innings, 0-26. Coach Connie Wunschel commented that, “They were relentless.”

She continued, “I thought Kailey pitched pretty well, but this team was very good with the bats. We committed 4 errors, that came at inopportune times. Had we made the outs we could have ended their at bats sooner.”

Kailey Prochaska pitched 3 innings, facing 27 batters, struck out 0, walked 3 and gave up 15 runs on 14 hits. Freshman Lindsey Kittleson pitched the last 2 innings of the game, facing 20 batters, striking out 1, walking 0 and gave up 11 runs on 14 hits.

Mickey Stampfl and CC Grefsheim had the only 2 hits in the game. The Wildcats got 4 walks, but struck out 10 times.

Wunschel notes that CC Grefsheim had back-to-back stolen bases - stealing both 2nd and 3rd after her base hit.

“And a perfect relay from Kittleson in right field, to Karena Simmons to Stampfl to Claire Patrow at 3rd to get a runner trying to stretch a double into a triple!” said Wunschel.

On May 6th, the Wildcats played at Cambridge, losing 0-10 in 5 innings.

“Between their two pitchers, we were kept to 1 hit,” said Wunschel.

Kailey Prochaska pitched 4 innings and took the loss, giving up 11 hits and 7 runs with 2 strikeouts and 1 walk. Lindsey Kittleson took over pitching for the 5th inning, facing 8, walking 1, hitting 1, with no strikeouts and 3 runs on 4 hits.

Kittleson had the single hit for the Wildcats in the 5th.

“We had 2 double plays on our part - in the 2nd to end a rally, there was a pop up to Karena Simmons at 2nd and after her catch she threw to Heidi Marty at first to get the runner out that was almost to 2nd base! The other was in the 5th inning when a pop-up to Mickey Stampfl at shortstop was caught and she was able to toss to Simmons at 2nd for the 2nd out,” commented Wunschel.

On May 8th, Belleville hosted Lodi, losing 9-16.

“The teams were more evenly matched, but our inexperience showed a bit more,” said Wunschel. “Too many errors, passed balls, pitches in the dirt all added up.”

Lodi had 3 straight singles to begin the game, with all three scoring. Belleville answered with 5 hits of their own.

“Starting with an error on their shortstop for Mickey to get on, a walk to both McKenzie Downing and Raina Nicholson to load the bases. CC Grefshiem then hit one through the third baseman that scored a run, followed by a shot up the middle by Kailey Prochaska that scored 2 more,” explained Wunschel. “Kailey had her first stolen base to put runners and 2nd and 3rd and both were able to score on Heidi Marty’s blast to right center. Kailey followed up the 2nd with striking out 2 of the 3 batters with a ground out. We pushed another run across in the bottom of 2. Karena Simmons walked on 4 straight pitches, Stampfl sacrificed from the left side of the batter’s box to move Karena all the way to 3rd. Downing then hit an infield blooper they weren’t able to field to score Karena.”

For Lodi’s half of the third inning, they hit a popup to Prochaska on the mound. She struck out the next batter but the drop of the ball behind the plate allowed the Lodi runner to get to first, who then advanced via a steal of second base and a passed ball to get to third.

“The next girl had a base hit to left to score the run. Two more base hits and an error led to two more runs. Tied 6-6,” said Wunschel.

Lodi shut Belleville down in the third inning and plated 5 more runs in the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth, Simmons legged a throw to first that the first baseman dropped, moved to third on Stampfl’s base hit to right and scored on a wild pitch. Stampfl moved to third on that same pitch and scored on Downing’s base hit to right. By then, it was 11-8, Lodi’s lead, and Belleville had some hope, but Lodi plated 5 more while holding Belleville to just 1 in the seventh.

Kailey Prochaska pitched 6 innings, striking out 5, walking 2, giving up 16 runs on 17 hits. Lindsey Kittleson took over pitching in the final inning and faced 3, striking out 1.

McKenzie Downing led Belleville batters by going 2x3, scoring once and 1 RBI. Mickey Stampfl, Kailey Prochaska and Heidi Marty had the 3 other hits for the team.

The Wildcats played at Marshall on May 11th and host Pecatonica on May 14th and Wisconsin Heights on May 20th.