Back on track
Jen Yost, senior catcher for the Wisconsin Dells High School varsity softball team makes the tag on a Westfield baserunner who tried to tag up at third base after a fly to center field. Cassie Kahler made a perfect throw to Yost who finished it off on a play that may have been a turning point, not only in the game, but in the Chiefs' season.
By Jim den Hollander
The Wisconsin Dells High School varsity softball team showed on Thursday it just may be ready for the post season after all. Behind one of Krissy Pacl's best efforts on the mound, the Chiefs played its first error-free game of the season and made an early 4-1 lead stand up as the final score. Coach, players and fans knew the Chiefs played a sub-par game against Dodgeville on Monday, dropping a winnable game, but the team put that memory in the rearview mirror with Thursday's victory. "Yeah, that was bad," recalled senior designated player and leadoff hitter Amanda McDonough of the game against Dodgeville. "Dodgeville was a really bad game, so I guess tonight (will) just get us all pumped up for tomorrow against Adams," said McDonough. The Chiefs were scheduled to play the Green Devils at Kaminski Park Friday. The Green Devils enter the game having already sewn up the conference title, but faced perhaps their toughest challenge of the season from the Chiefs in Adams earlier. Head coach Dale Gray said he was pleased to see the team play its first error-free game of the season and the way they responded to the challenge after a not so great game earlier in the week. "We discussed it in practice," said the coach. "You've gotta come with an attitude that you want to play ball. That's what we talked about tonight. You've gotta come ready to play." With the post season opener just days away, the Chiefs are looking to use their final five contests of the season to get on a roll. "We need to get in a streak where you can play some good ball going into the tournament next Thursday night," said Gray. The key play in the game and a rallying point for the Chiefs came on one of Cassie Kahler's patented bullets from center field. Kahler ended the second inning with a pop fly - play at the plate double play as the Pioneer's decided to test her arm. With one out, Kahler placed herself perfectly under a high fly ball in center - not deep center, but not shallow center either. A runner on third tagged up on the throw but Kahler followed the catch throwing a strike to catcher Jen Yost who made the tag to end the threat, keeping the Chiefs in front 3-1. "I told them afterward. The play of the game to me was when Cassie throws the girl out at home," said Gray. "Otherwise, it's a 3-2 ball game and we still don't have them out. They had another runner on. "It was the perfect throw and that changes the whole game. We were fired up after that and we played that way the rest of the way." Mallory Hendrickson also made a nice catch on a sinking linedrive, coming a long way from right field to make the grab on the edge of the turf. "We made catches tonight. We were hustling, going after the ball," said Gray. We're starting to get where we want to be." The win ended a string of three straight conference losses - that following three wins to open the campaign. At 4-3, the Chiefs are in the hunt to finish second overall in the conference, but top spot is long gone, the Green Devils entering last night's game at Kaminksi Park with a perfect 7-0 conference resume - a record good enough to rank them in the top 15 Division 2 teams in the state. Following Friday's contest, the Chiefs were scheduled to attend a tournament at Baraboo on Saturday. Westfield is also participating in the event. The Chiefs will wrap up the regular season with road contests at Mauston Monday and Westfield Tuesday.