Green Bay – The Notre Dame Academy Tritons (3-4) faced the Bay Port Pirates (2-3) in a windy Monday afternoon softball game. The Tritons, desperate to rebound after a rough start to the season, came off a 16-0 win over Sheboygan South, while the Pirates, despite early losses, entered the game riding the momentum of a 6-1 win over Appleton East.
Both teams, determined to extend their winning streaks, set the stage for a classic Fox River matchup. Sophomore pitcher Ella Nowak reflected on her time with Bay Port, saying, “I used to play for them (Bay Port)... I know all of them personally, so it’s hard facing them, but I know all of their weaknesses.” However, that didn’t seem to help Nowak in the first inning as she walked the bases loaded with one out. Through plays from juniors Ella Ciak and Jaedyn Mueller, the Tritons managed to limit the damage to one run.
The Tritons’ offense kicked into gear in the bottom half of the first inning. Addyson Simpson drove in freshman Olivia Waldrop, and senior Maddie Hilts followed with another RBI to score Simpson, giving the Tritons a 2-1 lead.
The Pirates kept the pressure on in the second inning, adding two more runs on hits by Elly Rau and Payton Dudra. This prompted a mound visit for Nowak. Head Coach Scott Devroy explained that pitching coach David Luedke advised the young pitcher, “Don’t be afraid to pitch inside and try and miss small.” That advice completely changed Nowak’s approach; she went on to pitch a complete game, finishing with six strikeouts and one earned run. “She’s going to get tougher and stronger—obviously she’s only a sophomore,” said Devroy.
After a few quick innings, the Tritons stepped up to bat in the bottom of the fifth. The scoring drive began with a bunt and stolen base from Waldrop, followed by a hit from Nowak that brought Waldrop home. Simpson added another run when she reached base on a third-base error and later scored on a wild pitch. Despite a single by Hilts, the inning ended with Notre Dame holding a 5-3 lead.
When the Pirates came back to bat, their inning ended on the basepaths. After Rau was caught stealing third, she was thrown out in a rundown and after a few misplaced throws, Pirates’ Ava Plumley was caught as well. “We just had an hour-and-a-half practice with just pickles, so we were all really upbeat about that and felt good,” Nowak said, commenting on the successful double play. Coach Devroy echoed her remarks, emphasizing the team’s need to continue improving in the little details.
As did Stimpson: “We can improve on making the little things happen; little things make big things,” she said after the game.
The Tritons secured their victory by retiring the side in the top of the seventh. As the Pirates regroup for their Thursday, April 17, away game against Sheboygan South, the Tritons look to extending their early-season winning streak as they travel to Southwest High School to face the Trojans in a doubleheader at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on April 15.
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