Pulaski, Bonduel softball teams eliminated in sectional semifinals

The Pulaski and Bonduel softball teams were both eliminated from the playoffs after sectional semifinal losses on May 30.

Third-seeded Pulaski fell 11-1 in six innings to second-seeded Green Bay Preble. Top-seeded Bonduel lost 9-6 to third-seeded Iola-Scandinavia in Bonduel.

Pulaski jumped out to a 1-0 lead after a Cassie Benberg home run in the first inning, but things went downhill after that. Preble scored five times in its half of the first and four more times in the second to pull away. Single runs in the fourth and sixth for the hosts ended the contest.

Benberg led the Red Raiders at the plate with two hits and a walk. Molly Molthen and Nicole Berna had the team's other two hits.

Pulaski struck out 13 times in the contest and committed six errors.

The errors led to eight unearned runs scoring off Morgan Vertz, who pitched all contest. Vertz struck out three batters.

Bonduel and Iola-Scandinavia traded runs in the first inning before Bonduel pulled ahead with two runs in the third. The visitors scored once in the fourth and then three times in the fifth to surge ahead.

Bonduel got a run back in the fifth, but Iola-Scandinavia tacked on four more in the sixth. The Bears scored twice in the bottom half, but were scoreless in the seventh.

Hailey Zernicke posted three hits and drove in a pair for Bonduel at the plate. She took the loss in the circle after working 4⅓ innings.

Tatum Sporisky had two hits for the Bears, while Audrey Weier drove in two runs. Sporisky and Hailee Thompson scored two runs each.

Nakiyah Henning pitched the final 2⅔ innings for Bonduel.