Walk-Off Bunt Sends BD Softball To Sectional Final

The Beaver Dam softball team is heading to the WIAA Division One Sectional Final for the 1st time since 2012 with a 5-4, 8-inning win over Slinger on Monday night at the BDHS Diamond.

Freshman Olivia DiStefano’s perfect bunt in the bottom of the 8th plated Ginny Bryant for the game winning run.

“She’s a very good bunter, and I said they are going to charge hard on you. So if you get a bunt down you have to push it”  Head coach Abby Schmitt told DailyDodge.com.  “What did she do?  She put it right past that third baseman and Ginny was able to score.”

The Beavers led 2-0 after 1 inning, then both teams scored single runs in the 3rd and 4th innings to leave BDHS with the 4-2 lead.  Slinger rallied for a single runs in both the 6th and 7th to force extra innings.

In the top of the 8th, Slinger (17-8) put the lead run at 3rd with just one out, but Gabby Fakes struck out a pair of batters to get out of the frame unscathed.  Fakes fanned four in 4 innings of work to pick up the win in relief of Audriana Edwards.

At the plate, Fakes went 2×4 with a double, 1 RBI and 1 run scored. Haley Allen went 2×4, while Edwards and Gracie Halfman both doubled in the win.

The win sends Beaver Dam (17-3) to Hartford on Wednesday for a WIAA Division One Sectional Final against Oshkosh West.  The Beavers and Wildcats spit a doubleheader in Oshkosh on June 5th with West winning the opener 10-0 and BD taking the night cap 1-0.

“These girls have been fighting.  They know they are good enough and I think they are able to finally see it. It’s paying off.  All the hard work they are putting in is really showing on the field.” Schmitt said.

The last time BDHS played in a softball Sectional Final was 2012, when they were defeated by Stevens Point. The last time BDHS went to state in softball was in 2004.

Wednesday’s first pitch is set for 5pm.  You can watch it on DailyDodge TV presented by Columbus Family Dental, Grande Cheese and the Beaver Dam Unified School District.

Click the link to hear postgame comments from Coach Abby Schmitt

 

You can watch DailyDodge TV at DailyDodge.com, Daily Dodge Facebook page and by downloading the Box Cast ap on your smart TV or Roku and searching Daily Dodge.

If you have a question about this story or have an idea for a future local sports story, please email Wade Bates at ddsports@goodkarmabrands.com