By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
KIMBERLY – For the fourth time in school history, the Pulaski softball team is heading to the WIAA state tournament.
The Red Raiders used home runs by Mackenzie Niespodzany and Peighton Agamaite and the pitching of Lauren Dixon to post a 5-2 victory over West De Pere in a WIAA Division 1 sectional final game at Sunset Park in Kimberly May 30.
“This group of girls has heart and grit,” said Pulaski head coach Billi Jo Vertz. “We made a lot of adjustments halfway through the season with their at-bats, and they chose to make the changes. They’re coachable and believe in each other.”
Pulaski (24-5 overall) will play Thursday, June 6, in the state quarterfinals against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The eight sectional final winning teams from around the state will be re-seeded one through eight for the state tournament in a June 1 meeting.
The Red Raiders last made it to state in 2016 but lost in the state semifinals after winning a quarterfinal game.
With a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning, the senior Niespodzany led off with a homer to right to make it 2-0.
A walk and an error later, Agamaite drilled a three-run shot for a 5-0 lead.
“Coach called time and said I could hit the long ball if it was my pitch and lower,” said the sophomore Agamaite. “I took her advice, and the very next pitch was low and inside, and I hit it hard. It felt great – I didn’t even feel it hit the bat, but I knew it was over.”
West De Pere (19-5) head coach Tom Zimdars was also impressed by Agamaite’s power.
“That ball was hit hard,” said Zimdars. “The pitch from [West De Pere starting pitcher Genesis] Eggart had to be 4 inches below the knees and inside. I don’t know how she hit it. She got it – we have to tip our hat to her.”
Eggart struck out 12 and allowed just four hits, but three of those were for extra bases.
In addition to the two long balls, Allison Maroszek had a second-inning double for the Red Raiders.
“We do pack a punch on this team,” Vertz said. “Our goal – since Genesis is a rise-ball pitcher – was to hit the low ones and lay off the high ones. We wanted to have quality at-bats and see a lot of pitches. I didn’t want the girls to get frustrated, even if they struck out.”
It was evident early in the game the Pulaski hitters took Vertz’s advice to heart.
No. 3 hitter Josie Wesolowski had a 10-pitch at-bat in the first inning before drawing a walk.
The Phantoms didn’t go down quietly, scoring two runs in the sixth to close the gap.
West De Pere had the tying run at the plate with two outs and two runners on, but Wesolowski made a nifty running catch in foul territory from her right-field position to end the threat.
“It was one bad inning that got us,” Zimdars said. “Against a quality team like Pulaski, you can’t have that. Genesis threw a nice game – it’s tough to lose a game on a four-hitter. Pulaski bunched its hits – we had some opportunities, but Dixon threw well. Coming into the game, I thought it would be close.”
The Phantoms, who got RBI hits from Brianna Destache and Evie Larson-Van Egeren, stranded six runners on base.
Eggart added a fourth-inning double but was left at third.
The hard-throwing Dixon struck out two and allowed seven hits.
Niespodzany nearly had her second homer of the night in the fourth, but West De Pere right fielder Taylor Degroot took a long ball away as she crashed into the fence.
Pulaski’s Taylor Williquette knocked in another run in the first on a sacrifice fly.
Despite the loss, the future looks bright for the Phantoms, which will lose four seniors – Ivy Stary, Anna Young, Larson-Van Egeren and Hannah Bearson.
West De Pere will also have the powerful right arm of Eggart back next year.
The junior threw every inning of every game on the season for the team.
“It’s tough to think about now, but hopefully we are in a position to be right back here again next season,” said Zimdars.