Photo: Twitter/Winhawk SB
(KWMN)- Follow along live to the WSHS Softball State Semifinal.
1st Inning
Top:
-Winona Bats first, and goes three up three down in their opening frame
Bottom:
-Leadoff hitter for Kato pops out to right field, as Kreckow gets her first out of the ball game
-#2 Hitter for Kato gets on base. One on, one out for Kato
-Three-spot hitte for Kato flies out to center, Poulin barely had to move for the ball. One on, Two out in the bottom of the first.
-Baserunner for Kato is able to steal second, throw from catcher Adyson Speltz just short
-Kreckow gets the next batter to watch the third strike, backwards K for her first of the ball game. One runner left on for Kato as the inning ends.
End of 1st: Winona 0-0 Kato East
2nd Inning
Top:
-Kreckow leads off, sends a trickler to the shortstop and is unable to beat the throw. One down for Winona, Simmons at the plate for Winona.
-Simmons goes down swinging on an off-speed pitch. Two down, none on.
-Lauren Indra swings at the first pitch and sends it back to the pitcher, thrown out at first for the third out. No hits for Winona again, and we head to the bottom of the 2nd.
Bottom:
-Leadoff hitter for Kato sends it through the hole in the right side of the infield for a base hit. One on, nobody out. Early on here Kato hitters have been able to get the barrel on the ball on Kreckow but hasn’t yielded to anything just yet.
-Kato takes the first pitch in the next at bat and sends it back to Kreckow in the circle, thrown out at first, but the runner on advances to second safely.
-Kreckow gets the next batter swinging, her second strikeout of the day. One runner on second for Kato, two outs.
-And Kreckow gets the next batter swinging as well, her third strikeout for her 200th K on the season. Kato leaves another runner in scoring position as the inning ends.
End of 2nd: Winona 0-0 Kato East
3rd Inning
Top:
-Graceyn Hamernik leads for Winona, she takes a 3-2 pitch inside that looked close, but a called third strike anyways. One down.
-Reese Nissalke takes the first pitch of the at bat down the left field line for a stand-up double. Winona’s first baserunner of the ballgame as Makenna Peshon enters the batter’s box.
-Peshon goes down looking for out number two. Caitlyn Bauer up with a runner on second and two out.
-Bauer strikes out swinging, ends the inning with a runner on second. No runs, one hit.
-Winona found the barrel for the first time today but have yet to test the Kato pitcher.
Bottom:
-On a 2-2 count the leadoff hitter for Kato belts one to left field for a homer. first run of the game and Kato goes up 1-0 in the bottom of the 3rd.
-First pitch in the next at bat is lined to the shortstop. Bauer corals it with ease. One out.
-The following batter finds one into the hole on the left side of the infield. Kato gets another runner on base. One out, one on.
-Baserunner steals second with no throw. and two pitches later takes third base as well, throw was close, but just behind.
-Kato bloops one to shallow left and it goes just over the head of Bauer at short. Runner scores. Kato up 2-0 on Winona. One on one out in the bottom of the 3rd.
-Another steal for Kato, as the runner advances to second.
-Kato really catching up to Kreckow here in the third. Another homer, this time with a runner on. Simmons had a slim chance at the ball at the wall, but couldn’t grab it. Kato goes up 4-0 in the bottom of the 3rd. Still only one out.
-Following batter bloops one to shallow center, Poulin makes a gorgeous underhand catch for the second out of the inning. No one on, two out.
-Kreckow is able to get out of the inning, forces a pop-out to short for the third out. Damage done by Kato East, they find four runs on four hits and one error.
End of 3rd: Kato East 4-0 Winona
4th Inning
Top:
-Engbrecht leads it for Winona as the Winhawks need a rally. She goes down swinging on four pitches. First out of the inning.
-Poulin up next for Winona, and she can’t catch up to Kato East pitcher, Stengl either. Another strikeout.
-Worth mentioning, Kylinn Stangl for East, as mentioned above, will be attending the U of M next season, showing why today.
-Kreckow follows Poulin with another strikeout, as Stangl K’s the side. Winona bats struggling through 4 innings so far.
Bottom:
-Leadoff hitter for Kato sends a hard grounder back to Kreckow in the circle. She gets it to first in plenty of time for the first out.
-Nissalke is unable to field a but down the 3rd baseline, runner safe at first. One on, one out for Kato East.
-Next pitch, baserunner steals second. Kato East has been aggressive on the basepaths all game long.
-Simmons finds a fly ball in left field for the second out of the inning. Runner stays at second. Still one on, two outs.
-A trickler up the middle is slow enough for the Kato batter to reach first safely. Two on now, two out. Runners at the corners.
-Stangl gets on first with a walk, bases juiced with two outs.
-A blooper is sent to shallow left, and a nice play made on the ball by Bauer ends the inning.
5th Inning
Top:
-Simmons leads off for Winona and battles with Stangl in a solid at bat but strikes out swinging anyways. One down.
-Indra sends a soft grounder to second, and an underhand flip beats her to the bag. Two outs for Winona.
-Hamernik up to the plate with two outs and sends a liner to center field for the first hit of the inning. One on for Winona, two outs.
-Hamernik steals second, Nissalke up to bat with a runner in scoring position.
-Nissalke works the count full, but goes down swinging on an offspeed for the third out. No runs, one hit and one left on for Winona, down to six outs in the state semifinal.
Bottom:
-Kato leadoff hitter belts a liner to left field and Simmons is able to make the diving play. Feels like a little momentum building for Winona, but plenty of work to be done still. One out.
-Next batter sends another liner right back at Kreckow that hits her glove, but she’s unable to hold on. Runner safe at first. One on, one out.
-A beatiful play is made by Engbrecht at second as she spins around for an over the shoulder grab on a blooper, then guns the runner at first for a double-play. Winona gets out of the 5th unscathed. No runs, one hit for Kato East.
End of 5th: Kato East 4-0 Winona
6th Inning
Top:
-Cheyenne Goettelman pinch hitting, and she goes down on strikes. One out in the top of the 6th for Winona.
-Bauer up next for the Winhawks, she brings the count full and goes down for the third strike on a checked swing. Two outs.
-Engbrecht comes to the plate and draws a walk. One on, two outs, Poulin up next.
-Poulin strikes out swinging to end the inning. Winona with three outs remaining in the state semifinal, down 4-0 to Kato East.
Bottom:
-Kato leads with a pop-up to 3rd, but Nissalke bobbles it to the ground. Runner on for Kato in the bottom of the 6th. No outs.
-Kato lays down a sac-bunt to advance the runner. One on second, one out.
-Kato’s able to draw a walk in the next at bat. Two on, one out.
-Kato lays another bunt, and Kreckow is unable to get it to first in time. Bases loaded with one out for Kato in the bottom of the 6th.
-A blooper to left is caught but the runner is able to tag. Kato gets another run, leads 5-0 now. Two on still, two outs.
-Kreckow gets out of the inning after a mound visit, Kato sends a liner to left caught by Simmons, but a big insurance run acquired.
End of 6th: Kato East 5-0 Winona
7th Inning
Top:
-Kreckow leads the inning from the plate, Winona down to their final three outs.
-Kreckow pops out to the pitcher. One down.
-Simmons up next and she strikes out swinging, Stangl still dominating Winona hitters. Two outs as Winona down to their last out of the season.
-Indra goes down on three pitches to end the ball game. Winona falls 5-0 to Kato East in the state semifinal
-Winona just couldn’t get it going from the plate against U of M commit Kylinn Stangl. They only found three hits on the day, and Kato East did plenty offensively to get the win
Final: Kato East 5-0 Winona
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