By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Lake Geneva Badger softball team swept a home double-header against Shawano on Apr. 6. The Hawks drove over three hours to lose two games non-conference to the Badgers.
Badger won the first game 10-5 behind three home runs, two by Seneca Peterson. Sydney Klein hit the other one. The Badgers pounded out 13 hits. Shawano got 14 but only scored five of them.
The Badgers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Klein. Madison Hunt, who had doubled earlier in the inning, scored on the hit. Shawano tied it in the second and went up by two in the third, but the Badgers scored three in their half of the third to re-take the lead 4-3. Leah Sanders doubled and scored on another double by Hunt. Peterson then brought Hunt home with the first of her two home runs.
Shawano score twice in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead but the Badgers put up six in the bottom of the sixth to take control. Hunt doubled for the third time, Peterson hit her second home run, and Klein went bac-to-back with her home run. With two outs, Natalie Ransom singled, Lace Atkinson was hit by a pitch, and an error on a line drive hit by Kayla Kerns allowed Ransom and Atkinson to score.
Peterson led the Badgers with two hits, both of them homers, and four RBI. Hunt had three hits and an RBI. Klein had two hits and two RBI. Kerns also had two hits. Peterson pitched a complete game.
The Badgers won the second game 9-6. The Badgers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Sanders was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and moved to third on another double by Hunt. Peterson was intentionally walked to load the bases.
The strategy backfired as Klein doubled to bring in Sanders and Hunt. Peterson then scored on a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Bockelmann. Klein scored on a groundout by Ransom.
The Badgers added single runs in the second and third. Sanders singled and later scored on a single by Peterson in the second. Megan Potter singled and later scored on a passed ball in the third.
Shawano made a game of it by scoring five in their half of the third to make it 6-5. After a scoreless fourth, Badger scored twice in the fifth. Ransom drew a walk and moved to third on a double by Atkinson. Ransom scored on an errant pick-off throw to third and Emily Potter, courtesy running for Atkinson, stole home. Badger added a single run in the sixth. Klein singled and later scored on a ground out by Ransom.
Shawano scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth but that was all they could get.
The Badgers did not fair as well earlier in the week. Badger started the season at home against perennial powerhouse Westsoha Central on Apr. 2 and lost 19-0 in five innings.
The Falcons (2-1, 1-1 Southern Lakes Conference) had 19 hits and pitcher Olivia Kazumura threw a five-inning perfect game. Kazumura threw a no-hitter against the Badgers last season in the second match-up of the two teams, so in two consecutive games against her, the Badgers failed to get a hit.
The Badgers (2-2, 0-2 SLC) lost a road game at Elkhorn 5-1 on Apr. 4. The Elks (2-1, 1-1) scored one in the first and four in the second to take command but did not score again. The Badgers scored their lone run in the third. Kerns walked and took second on a single by Sanders. Hunt singled moving Kerns to third but Sanders was put out on the play. Kerns scored on a double by Peterson but Hunt was thrown out at home also trying to score on the hit.
The Badgers traveled to Wilmot on Tuesday, host Waterford on Thursday, and travel to Woodstock for a non-conference game on Saturday.
See more Badger sports in the April 11 Lake Geneva Times.
