FORT ATKINSON 鈥 Brynn Sikich went 3-for-6, driving in five and scoring three times as 糖心Vlog传媒 Craig beat host Fort Atkinson 19-5 in non-conference softball on Monday.
In the home half of the fifth, Kayla Thorman singled in a run and Sawyer Guth added a run-scoring fielder鈥檚 choice as the Blackhawks clawed within 5-4.
Cougars reliever Maddie Schieve recorded three straight outs, including retiring Thorman at the plate trying to score from third on a bunt, to escape the inning without further damage.
Ava Schaffner led off the Craig sixth with a single. She stole second and scored from there on a ground out by Alexis Hanson. Emily Kleinheinz was hit by a two-out pitch and scored from first on a line drive triple to left by Maddy Klemencic. Liv Manthey capped the three-run rally with an RBI single, pushing the Cougars鈥 lead to 8-4.
It turned into a romp in the seventh when Craig (6-10) sent 17 hitters to the dish in an 11-run outburst. Sikich singled home runs on two separate occasions while Manthey added a run-scoring double for the Cougars, who also took advantage of four hit batsmen, four walks and one error.
Schaffner, Hanson, Klemencic and Manthey had two hits apiece for Craig (6-10) while leadoff hitter Abbie Claas鈥 one hit was a triple, plus she drew four walks and scored four times.
Schieve pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts in the decision.
Olivia Rue and Kinley Wargolet had two hits apiece for Fort (4-9). Wargolet scored twice.
The Cougars travel to Sun Prairie East for a Big Eight Conference game today.
