Whitehall softball team drops four

The Whitehall softball team struggled, losing two lopsided games and two close ones last week.

The Norse began the week with a 12-1 loss to Independence/Gilmanton on Monday (see story elsewhere in Sports). It also lost, 13-1, to Augusta on Thursday. The team had chances to win on Tuesday and Friday, however. In both games, Whitehall tied the game late, but Melrose-Mindoro scored in the sixth to win, 9-8, and Mondovi scored in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-4 win. 

Before Monday’s last regular season game against Eleva-Strum, Whitehall sat at 2-13 on the season. The team opens Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association play in Necedah on Thursday. Whitehall is the ninth seed in its Division 4 bracket, while Necedah is eighth. 

Mel-Min 9 Whitehall 8

The Norse tied the game late, but couldn’t come away with the win.

Addison Poeschel singled in two runs to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning. However, Mel-Min’s Cooper Zeman led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple and scored on a single by Kelsey Young. 

The Norse went down in order in the top of the seventh. 

Whitehall got off to a strong start as Regan Clatt and Poeschel hit RBI singles in the top of the first to put the team ahead 3-0. The Mustangs scored one in the bottom of the first, but Whitehall came back with two in the second. 

The Norse loaded the bases with one out before one run scored on an error and another on fielder’s choice, putting Whitehall ahead 5-1. 

The Mustangs came right back. A three-run home run by Zeman in the second brought Mel-Min within one run. The team scored two runs without getting a single hit in the third inning to take a 6-5 lead. 

Regan Clatt hit an RBI double to tie the game in the top of the fourth, but the Mustangs scored two in the bottom frame. The Norse tied the game again in the sixth, but the Mustangs answered again. 

Addison Herman and Clatt both had two hits for Whitehall. Clatt and Poeschel had three RBIs. 

Klomsten and Poeschel split the pitching duties with Klomsten tossing the first four innings and Poeschel stepping into the circle for the final two. They combined to strike out five while allowing four hits and five walks. Whitehall committed four errors behind them, allowing five unearned runs. 

Augusta 13 Whitehall 1

The Beavers took advantage of five Whitehall errors as the Norse also struggled at the plate.

Augusta scored four runs in the top of the first inning before adding another in the second and eight in the third. Whitehall got on the board on an RBI single by Poeschel in the fourth. 

Kelsie Klomsten and Poeschel split the pitching duties again. Klomsten tossed the first two innings, allowing six hits and walking four while striking out one. Poeschel struck out two, while allowing one hit and one walk. Five of Augusta’s runs were unearned in the game. 

Mondovi 5 Whitehall 4

The Norse tied the game late, but the Buffaloes walked off with a win.

Whitehall was down to its last out before Poeschel doubled to give the team life. That last out could’ve come in the next at-bat, but a dropped third strike, followed by an error, allowed Poeschel to score the tying run. 

The Buffaloes regrouped between innings. They started the bottom of the seventh with a single, followed by an error and the winning run scored on a sacrifice fly. 

The teams went back and forth in the game as Mondovi scored in the bottom of the first before Whitehall tied it in the second. Mondovi scored again in the bottom of the second and both teams scored one run in the third. Whitehall tied the game again with a run in the fifth, but Mondovi regained the lead with one in the sixth. 

Harlow Foss was 3 for 4 at the plate for Whitehall while Taylor Johnson was 2 for 4

Clatt took the loss, striking out eight while allowing seven hits and four walks.