Standout slugger sweeps offensive, defensive MVP
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
There isn’t much Rachel Gosh didn’t do for the Elkhorn Area High Scholl softball team this past season, and her awards are proof.
Gosh is the Elks’ Varsity Offensive Player of the Year and Varsity Defensive Player of the Year. Gosh also earned Second Team All-Southern Lakes Conference honors.
Mackenzie Shawback earned the Lady Elk Award, which is bestowed for citizenship, good sportsmanship and performance.
Emily Brahm and Sarah Rychlak each earned the Most Improved award, and Anna Bechtel earned the Dirt in the Skirt award for her hustle, attitude and effort.
Morgan Rudolf, Wang and Griswold served as Captains this past season. Griswold and Wang each played in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Division 2 Senior All-Star game Tuesday at the Woodside Sports Complex in the Wisconsin Dells.
On the Elks’ junior varsity, Paris Barker earned Offensive Player of the Year honors and Sarah Bechtel earned the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Elks showed the intensity expected by their coach in the final game of the season. Elkhorn battled Edgerton for nine innings before losing 7-6 May 24 in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game at Edgerton.
Edgerton (10-11) entered the regional as the seventh seed. The Elks (8-16) were seeded 10th.
“I love those close games – they really show what your team is made of,” Elks coach Steve Remington said. “Grit and determination come to mind. We started off the season as girls that play softball. Today, we are a team of ball players.”
Edgerton loaded the bases in the ninth inning. The Crimson Tide’s leadoff hitter reached base and took second on an error. The runner advanced to third on a bunt single, and Elkhorn walked the next hitter to load the bases.
Remington pulled in the defense to prevent conceding the winning run. The next Edgerton batter drove a ball between the pitcher and second base for the winning run.
Remington said the Elks put runners on base every inning, but did not capitalize as they should. The Elks also suffered numerous mental lapses, and committed six errors.
“We had more mental mistakes than physical mistakes, which ultimately did us in,” Remington said.
Remington said he was proud of the Elks for the effort and desire they showed against Edgerton.
“We played our best game, as far as intensity goes,” Remington said. “I have been waiting all season for the intensity to be there from start to finish. We have shown glimpses of it here and there, but never the whole game.
“The girls knew it was a win or go home game, so they fought until the end.”
