By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
MADISON – The Pulaski softball team saw its season end one game short of a WIAA Division 1 state title berth.
The No. 3-seeded Red Raiders fell to No. 2-seeded Sun Prairie 5-2 in the state semifinals in Madison at the Goodman Softball Complex June 7.
The Red Raiders (24-6) were looking for the program’s first state title in their fourth trip to the state tournament.
Sun Prairie (27-3) advanced to face top-ranked – and undefeated – Oshkosh North (30-0) in the championship game.
”We didn’t handle the nerves quite as good as we did Thursday,” said Pulaski head coach Billi Jo Vertz. “When you get to this point of the season and you are playing these types of teams, you can’t afford to make mistakes. You have to have clean fielding and timely hitting.“
After two were out in the opening inning for Pulaski, Josie Wesolowski drew a walk and advanced to third on a Peighton Agamaite double, but a fly-ball out in foul territory ended the inning.
Sun Prairie got its first two batters on base in the bottom of the second, but Red Raiders pitcher Lauren Dixon sandwiched a strikeout between two pop-ups to end the threat.
Pulaski took a 1-0 lead in the third on a Kam Brockman single down the third-base line to score Brynn Egnarski, who led off the inning with a two-bagger.
After the Red Raiders had two errors in the second inning, Dixon gave up her first two hits in the third.
The Cardinals took advantage of another Pulaski error, a fielder’s choice RBI and an RBI groundout to jump ahead 3-1.
Sun Prairie added a single tally after two were out in the fifth and another run in the sixth on a wild pitch.
The Red Raiders had the tying run at the plate in the seventh on three hits and an error, but Sun Prairie ended the game by recording a groundball out.
Pulaski didn’t commit an error in its 1-0 quarterfinal win over Wilmot Union.
“I’m really proud of my girls,” added Vertz. “In the beginning of the season, we weren’t playing very well. Then about halfway through the year, they chose to take our suggestions at the plate and get better. They were a very fun group to coach.”
The loss ended the careers of seniors Kenzie Niespodzany, Wesolowski, Jordyn Josephine, Hannah Kreuser, Taylor Williquette, Rebecca May and Emma Wiese.
Box score
Pulaski: 001 000 1 – 2
Sun Prairie: 003 011 x – 5