MADISON − Sooner or later, the big-run inning was coming for the Kaukauna softball team.
The Ghosts erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning to put the WIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal out of reach June 11 in their 9-1 victory over Sun Prairie East at Goodman Diamond. Kaukauna (25-0) advances to play Sussex Hamilton in a state semifinal June 12 at 7 p.m.
“We barreled up so many balls early on,” Kaukauna coach Tim Roehrig said. “I was like, ‘Hey guys, we’re in a good spot,’ and I wasn’t nervous at all. We were barreling balls and barreling balls and eventually they were going to go through.”
The Ghosts, who have won 133 of their last 134 games, led 2-1 through the first four innings but had ample opportunities to add to their lead, stranding six on base.
Their near-misses finally ended in the fifth. With one out, the Ghosts strung together six consecutive hits, scoring three runs to lead 5-1.
Then the big blast came after Paige Bodenheimer reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. That’s when Karly Meredith, the three-time Gatorade Wisconsin player of the year, crushed a shot opposite field over the left-center wall for a 9-1 advantage.
“We put on a little bit of a show there,” Roehrig said. ‘We put on some power and showed what we’re capable of and Karly finished it off with that blast. As soon as she hit it, I knew it was gone. That’s what she does. That’s why she’s Gatorade player of the year.”
It was the fifth home run this season for Meredith, who was just trying to make contact in the bases-loaded situation.
“I was just saying ‘get it on the ground, get it on the ground,’ because I usually pop up in those types of situations,” she said. “So I was trying to just be confident with myself and just swing hard when I saw it.”
Kaukauna finished with 14 hits, with Meredith also having an RBI triple for five RBIs total. Taylor Federwitz, Jozy Ebben, Raivyn Rabideau and Chloe Herzfeldt had two hits apiece, with Rabideau also finishing with two RBIs. Paige Bodenheimer added two runs and a stolen base.
Sun Prairie East’s Allison Giese took the loss. She entered the game with a 0.61 ERA and averaged nearly 10 strikeouts a game. She finished with none against the Ghosts and allowed nine earned runs.
“I think we were ready to go,” Bodenheimer said. “We practiced really hard from our last game (Green Bay Preble). We hit OK. I mean, we got the game done, but this game we definitely came ready to go. We were hitting hits throughout the game.”
Meredith was dominant in the circle, finishing with nine strikeouts over seven innings, allowing one hit and an unearned run.
Meredith and Bodenheimer said the Ghosts are ready for the semifinals.
“It’s just another game and we have to go at it like we would any other game and leave it all out on the field,” Meredith said. “We want to do our best. I mean, that’s all we can do.”
Said Bodenheimer: “We’re coming into the same mindset. Coming ready to hit, have each other’s back on defense and, most importantly, just not overthink it. Just do our job.”
Roehrig said the Ghosts are prepared for the semifinal against Hamilton, which beat Oregon 3-0 in their quarterfinal matchup.
“We have our scouting reports done,” he said. “We’re going to go back to work and have a real good practice and we’re going to go out and do what we do.”
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Karly Meredith powers Kaukauna to Division 1 state softball quarterfinal victory
Reporting by Ricardo Arguello, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
