Falcons battle past Wilmot for sectional final spot

By Dan Truttschel ~ Sports Correspondent

In a high-pressure game, the team that takes advantage of its scoring opportunities is usually the one that moves on.

And that definitely was the storyline in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal softball contest last week.

Westosha Central and Wilmot, longtime conference rivals, met for the third time this season, and it was the Falcons who survived in a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

The loss ended Wilmot’s season at 21-4 overall, while two days later, Central (22-6 overall) sectional title to advance to the WIAA State Tournament for the first time since 1997. More coverage of the Falcons appears in this edition.

Central co-head coach Tom Lampe couldn’t have been more proud of his team’s effort in the semifinal.

“This was a classic pitcher’s duel,” he said. “Neither team was able to do too much. We’re ecstatic to come out on top.”

The loss was a tough way to end the year for both the Panthers and Movrich, who is retiring after 20 years with the program.

“We didn’t want it to end there or that soon,” he said. “In a one-run loss, we’ve had those before to end our season, and they’re never good.

The Falcons put the day’s only run on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. Brittany Blazich reached on a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Abbey McDonald, stole third and scored on an outfield error by the Panthers.

And that’s how the score stayed until the last out was recorded, as Wilmot pitcher Kristen Wood and Central hurler Sarah Fonk matched each other pitch for pitch.

Wilmot had a golden opportunity to score in the fifth inning, as it put runners on second and third with nobody out.

But Fonk struck out the next two batters and then induced an infield pop out to end the threat.

That was the crushing blow to the Panthers’ hopes of a return-trip to state, Movrich said.

“You can’t win if you can’t score,” he said. “In big games, sometimes you get one opportunity to score, and we did. If we get one hit there, we win the game 2-1 is what I’m thinking. Fonk buckled down and that was hit. We did have our one chance.”

Lampe said his team avoiding disaster in that situation gave him hope it might be the Falcons’ day to advance.

“That was about the time that I felt the game was going our way,” he said. “I’ve said this before, but I’ll take Sarah Fonk as my pitcher any day and twice on Sunday.

“I’m so proud of what the girls accomplished (with the win). We beat a very good team.”

Wilmot managed just two hits off Fonk, one by Taylor Kontaxis and the other by Lauren Orszula. Wood finished her stellar high school career with seven strikeouts, one walk and two hits allowed.

Blazich and Larkin Langston each had one hit for the Falcons. Fonk walked one and struck out nine.

 


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