SOFTBALL: Portage bounces back
Portage's Lizzette Davis hits a single during the fourth inning of Portage's 13-3 win over DeForest Wednesday. Davis finished with a game-high 3 RBI. (Kevin Morales, Daily Register)
By Kevin Morales
DEFOREST — You can pinpoint the exact inning Portage's softball team got over Tuesday's loss at Baraboo.
"We were a little slow at the start just because I think (Tuesday's) game was still in our heads," Portage shortstop Heather Wroten said. "Once we got playing we realized we're playing a different team and it starts over tonight."
Tied at 0 through two innings, the visiting Warriors scored 13 runs and pounded 13 hits the rest of the way to beat DeForest 13-3 in five innings Wednesday in DeForest.
Portage's offense woke up with four runs in the third inning and exploded for nine in the fourth.
Lizette Davis went 4-for-4 with 3 RBIs, while Crystal Prate was 3-for-3 at the plate. Five Warriors had multiple hits in the game.
Portage junior pitcher Michelle Friedel struck out five in five innings of work to earn the win and improve to 7-2 this season.
It was Portage's third win by 10 or more runs this spring.
Wednesday's game came on the heels of Portage's loss at Baraboo the night before. Portage needed the win to stay alive in the conference race, but was beat 6-5 in eight innings.
It looked like Portage (10-4, 7-3 Badger North) was still reeling from the loss early in Wednesday's game. The Warriors had four base runners reach through the first two innings, but failed to advance one past second base.
That changed in the third inning, when Portage scored four runs on five hits, including a two-run double down the left-field line from Davis that scored Nikayla Telindert and Prate.
"That's when we started getting our heads in the game and not focusing on yesterday," Wroten said. "We just waited for our pitch and put the ball in play."
The fourth inning proved to be the main course for Portage, however, as it sent 15 batters to the plate and scored nine runs on six hits.
"Some of the girls have been really good about making adjustments right on the spot," Portage co-coach Amy Zeihen said. "Even tweaking little things when they're up at bat, where they're making contact with the ball. They're able to adjust and they're hitting much better."
DeForest's (3-8, 2-7) Renee Haag suffered the loss for the Norskies, who have lost five of their last six, but none by the 10-run rule.
"I think we had just an off night," DeForest coach Lori Grundahl said. "At the start of this week we have 11 games left. I think when you look at the amount of games — I have a young team... — some extra games under our belts might have helped."
Portage co-coach Dave Mills said his team shouldn't be worried about the loss to Baraboo — the Badger North favorites entering the season — because the pressure wasn't on the Warriors to win.
"They talk about winning the conference, we just talk about winning each game as it comes," Mills said.
That next game comes Friday at 5 p.m., when Portage plays host to Waunakee.
PORTAGE 13, DEFOREST 3 (5)
Portage ......................... 004 90 — 13 17 1 DeForest ........................ 001 02 — 2 4 3
Pitchers — Friedel (W); Haag (L, 4), Schuchardt (4), Kohl (4). SO leaders — Friedel 5, Haag 3.
Leading hitters — Davis (P) 4x4, Prate (P) 3x3, Wroten (P) 2x4, Firari (P) 2x3, Telindert (P) 2x3, Berry (D) 2x3. 2B — Davis.
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