Tigerton softball team takes down Marion

The Tigerton High School softball and baseball teams hosted Marion in Central Wisconsin Conference-North Division matchups on May 28 in Tigerton, with the softball team earning a win and the baseball team suffering a loss.

The Tigerton softball team used a late surge to pick up an 11-7 victory, while the baseball team lost 6-5 on a walk-off hit. Tigerton served as the road team for both contests.

Softball

The Tigers’ softball team built a 6-2 advantage, but Marion scored five times in the fourth inning to take the lead. Tigerton answered right back with two runs in the top of the fifth and then added three insurance runs in the sixth.

Starting pitcher Skyler Hauser handled things from there, shutting out Marion over the final three frames to seal up the victory.

“I actually did have a moment during our game here where I did look up at the scoreboard and I didn’t realize we were losing,” said Hauser. “I noticed that and honestly I didn’t even sweat it at all actually. I knew my girls on our team here would bring us right back. I didn’t even worry one bit.”

Over Hauser’s seven innings in the circle, she finished with two strikeouts, instead relying on her defense to work her way through the lineup.

She also set the tone for the team from the leadoff spot in the Tigerton batting order. Hauser reached base five times in her six plate appearances, singling three times and walking twice. She also stole two bases, drove in a run and scored three runs.

Abby Swartz and Savannah Swartz, Tigerton’s No. 2 and 3 hitters, respectively, combined to get on base six times and score four runs. Abby Swartz stole three bases, while Savannah Swartz had two runs batted in.

McKenzie Hoffman also drove in a pair of runs for the Tigers, while Leandra Kalwitz walked three times.

“I think sometimes when we do get down, we let our heads hang, and I think this time we did a better job at keeping our heads up and staying positive and cheering each other on to go forward,” said Abby Swartz on the team’s comeback win.

Baseball

The baseball matchup between Tigerton and Marion also was a back-and-forth battle.

Marion grabbed the lead with a run in the bottom of the third, but Tigerton answered with a run in the fourth to tie it and then scored again in the fifth to grab the lead. Marion then tallied four runs in the fifth to seize control, only to have Tigerton score three times in the sixth to tie it.

Marion led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and then singled to plate the winning run.

“I think we’re a solid team as well. It was a fair fight until the end,” said Tigerton’s Isaac Schoen on the loss. He started the game on the mound. “We both had errors, we both had good pitching too. Nothing you can do about that.”

Marion’s four-run fifth was jumpstarted by several Tigerton errors.

“It was pretty close until the fifth inning, but errors are what kick us in the butt every game,” said Tigerton’s Mitch Zimdars, who was dealt the loss after pitching in relief. “For the past three games, we’ve had errors late in the game and (allow opponents to) score runs that are unearned.”

The Tigers were proud of the fact they were able to bounce back right away in the sixth.

Asher Michaelis had the big hit in the inning, driving in a pair on a double.

“It’s the way it goes,” said Kaeden Miller on Tigerton’s comeback effort. “We can’t really hit too well at the start (of games), but then as soon as we need hits, it’ll go with two outs. Then we get the sticks going and we get close.”

Tigerton had a chance to take the lead in its half of the seventh inning, but stranded the bases loaded.

Miller led the Tigers with three hits, while Schoen and Michaelis had two each. Schoen, Zimdars and Justin Knaup had the team’s other RBIs.