Beaver Dam Softball Walks Off M-G For Regional Title

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Celly Loomans delivered a two-out RBI single off the top of the right field wall in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Beaver Dam a thrilling 4-3 walk-off victory over Monona Grove in a WIAA Division 1 Regional Championship game Thursday night at the BDHS Diamond.

Monona Grove (12-15) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Bella Martin blasted a two-run homer to dead center field.

The Silver Eagles extended the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. Addison Veith reached on a two-out infield single before Addison Duerst followed with an RBI double to center field. Beaver Dam limited further damage when senior Brynlee Bader made a running catch near the right field corner to end the inning.

Beaver Dam struggled early against Monona Grove pitcher Brooklyn Vanden Branden, managing just three baserunners through the first four innings on a hit batter, a walk and a fielder’s choice. The Golden Beavers finally broke through in the fifth.

Mady Bryant led off the inning with a bunt single, and Breelyn Dassler reached on a wild pitch after striking out, moving Bryant to third. Emersen Damon then lined an RBI single to center to score Bryant. Pinch hitter Gillian Schave followed with a sacrifice fly that brought home Dassler and advanced Damon to third.

With one out, Monona Grove intentionally walked Kendall Fakes to set up a matchup with Lailah Linzenmeyer, who tied the game with a sacrifice fly to score Damon.

In the top of the seventh, Veith singled with two outs but was picked off at first base by Linzenmeyer after the Beaver Dam catcher fired behind the runner following a pitch.

The Golden Beavers took advantage in the bottom of the inning. Emma Julka singled with one out and stole second base before Fakes was intentionally walked again. After Linzenmeyer popped out for the second out, a passed ball moved Julka and Fakes into scoring position.

Monona Grove elected to pitch to Loomans with first base open, and she responded by crushing a long single off the top of the wall in right field to score Julka with the game-winning run.

Emma Julka earned the win, giving up three runs on eight hits.  She struck out eight and walked just one.  Vanden Branden took the hard luck loss, giving up four runs (just one earned) and striking out five in six and two-thirds innings.

Beaver Dam (21-7) advances to a WIAA Division 1 Sectional Semifinal at Waunakee (19-4) on Tuesday.

1430 ESPN Beaver Dam and DailyDodge TV are working on plans to broadcast the game on either radio or video.

CLICK THE LINK TO HEAR FROM GOLDEN BEAVERS COACH QUINN HEINTZ

CLICK THE LINK TO WATCH THE DAILYDODGE TV BROADCAST OF THE GAME

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Gamechanger contributed to this story