EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday or Friday throughout the calendar year.
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal, Fennimore Times, Boscobel Dial
Alex Bausch, Sr., 2B, Fennimore softball
Senior Alex Bausch had a monster game Friday afternoon to lead the Fennimore softball team to a dominating win over visiting Platteville.
Bausch hit for the cycle and drove in five runs in the 13–3 victory. She tripled to deep right field to lead off the second inning and scored on an RBI single by senior Jessa Braudt to make it 2–0. Bausch then singled and scored on an RBI single by senior Jenna Ruchti in the bottom of the third to make it 5–0.
After Platteville got three runs back in the top of the fourth, Bausch smashed a two-out grand slam home run over the centerfield fence to extend the Eagles’ lead to 10–3. Bausch then completed the cycle on the final at-bat of the game when she hit an RBI double to centerfield to drive in Brooklyn Mumm to end the game via the 10-run rule.
Junior Kayahna Furrer went 3-for-4 with three RBI, and picked up the pitching win, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk in five innings. She struck out seven.
Monday afternoon, Fennimore scored a 21–1 three-inning victory over rebuilding Boscobel. Bausch reached twice, once on a walk and once on an error, and scored a pair of runs in the win.
A day later, Bausch again played the role of heroine, when she clubbed a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat visiting Wauzeka–Steuben, 13–10. It was the senior slugger's second long ball of the day, after smacking a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull the Golden Eagles within a run at 10–9.
Fennimore tied the game on an RBI single by Jessa Braudt, after sophomore Campbell Fitzgerald walked and stole second after Bausch's first homer.
Bausch finished the day 3-for-5 with two homers, eight RBI and three runs scored. She is currently batting .381 (8-for-21) with two doubles, a triple, three home runs and 13 RBI in seven games for the Eagles (6–1, 1–1 SWAL).
"Alex has had a hot bat for us in the past week. She made some mental adjustments to her plate approach going into our game against Platteville to improve her at-bats, which paid off with her hitting for the cycle that game," said Fennimore head coach Cassie Roach. "Hitting is contagious so having someone go 4 for 4 is always great for getting everyone's bats going, which happened that night with a team total of 16 hits.
"Alex had another great night against Wauzeka with eight RBI and two home runs. Anytime we can capitalize on having runners in scoring position is important, especially in close games. Our five through seven hitters that night did an excellent job with this after the rest of the lineup got themselves on base. Alex delivered big here by ending the game with a walk-off home run, which was an exciting end to a game with a lot of great hitting."
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Kylie Butler, Jr., IF, Argyle/Black Hawk softball
Butler went 3-for-4 in 14–0 win at Darlington last Tuesday, then went 4-for-4 with a pair of homers, a double, a triple and eight RBI in a wild 23–19 win over the host Orangeville (Ill.) Broncos at last Saturday's Orangeville Tournament. Butler finished the tournament going 1-for-2 with two more RBI in a 9–1 loss to St. Francis (Ill.).
Payton Gile, Sr., P, Cuba City softball
Cuba City's senior ace led the Cubans to a 2–0 record at their own tournament last Saturday. Gile struck out 11 and walked just three, and went 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of doubles and two RBI in a 10–0 win over Wisconsin Heights in the opener. Gile then struck out 13 and allowed just one unearned run in a 5–1 one-hit victory over Dodgeville. Gile also went 2-for-3 with a double against the Dodgers.
Tyson Starkey, Sr., P/IF, Fennimore baseball
Starkey struck out nine and allowed just two walks in a 94-pitch, two-hit shutout to lead Fennimore to a 2–0 Southwest Wisconsin Activities League victory at Cuba City last Friday night, in the Golden Eagles' (1–0, 1–0 SWAL) season opener.
