My Northern Wisconsin

Covering Ashland, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, and Vilas Counties


2022 LOGGERS SOFTBALL HIGHLIGHTS - MARAWOOD NORTH CONFERENCE CHAMPS


By:  Steve Teeters

Note:  We appreciate Steve Teeters sharing these game highlights showcasing the efforts of local athletes.  If anyone is interested in submitting summaries of any of the other high school sports in Price County, e-mail Contact@MyPriceCounty.com.

Games are in reverse chronological order.

   

May 26, 2022:  "SOME THINGS STAY WITH US."  People who know me understand how much passion I have for sports.  The love of sports started at an early age for me and has continued throughout my life.  As the baby of the family, I was fortunate to have my parents and three older siblings to teach me how to play the game, whether it was baseball, football, or basketball.   

But baseball might have been my first love.  My siblings, their friends, and our neighbors would occasionally play a game in the back yard and it was always so much fun.  Nevermind that we may or may not have broken a neighbor's window on a towering shot past the wall of trees in front of said window.  Baseball quickly became whiffle ball, but my love of the game was born.

I remember the feeling of excitement when I first tried out for little league baseball as a youngster.  For whatever reason, I can still recall rushing down an elementary school hallway with my buddies to check out a bulletin board posting to see if we made a team.  As luck would have it, the Prentice A's selected me to be on their team. 

I had some of the best times of my young life at the Shady Rest Ball Field in Prentice.  We won some, and we lost some.  But win or lose, we would usually go for some Root Beer at the A&W stand in our tiny town.  The ball field and the A&W stand are long gone but the memories remain.  And lifelong bonds were created on the field of play.

Some things stay with us.

If I've been around sports for so long, and have experienced plenty of defeat before, why is it so hard to come up with words to write about a loss today?

This is currently where I'm at after watching the Phillips Loggers lose its Regional Finals game, 1-0, against a strong Northwood / Solon Springs team.

The game was virtually everything you wish to see as a sports fan.  But someone wins and someone loses.  It's how this thing works.  The agony of defeat is real but it's part of the game.  When we're on the other side, it's an amazing feeling.

What makes this loss so difficult is that our girls played well enough to win. 

Kendall Weik pitched her guts out.  She allowed just 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9 batters.  What won't show up in the box score is how Kendall limited hard contact.

Of the balls put into play, only six reached the outfield.  Three of those balls were caught for outs, and one of the three hits was a bloop single to right field. 

I was also impressed how Kendall dug deep in a few spots when trailing in the count.  On a couple occasions, she fell behind in the count but battled right back with strikes to even the count and then went on to record an out.  She showed a lot of poise in those tense situations and over the duration of the game.

On the offensive side of the game, our girls seemed to really see the ball well in their at-bats.  In fact, the team had just one strikeout for the game.  When they put the ball into play, it seemed to find a glove or go just foul.  Two hard hit balls were within mere inches of going for extra bases.  But I guess that's why they say baseball (or softball) is a game of inches.

The girls actually outhit Northwood / Solon Springs, 4-3, and just seemed to not have any luck on their side tonight. 

Beyond the slight advantage in pitching and hitting for Phillips, the Loggers' defense was simply incredible.  Two plays immediately come to mind.

In the top of the fifth inning, Northwood shortstop Kyra Latvala drew a lead-off walk after a six pitch battle with Weik.  Knowing Northwood would try to steal a base to get a runner in scoring position in the late stages of this game, the Loggers did their best to limit Latvala's steal attempts.  Catcher Megan DeLeasky took command in this situation and was able to keep Latvala at first base while Kendall Weik worked her way through the next two batters with a strikeout and a fly ball to left field. 

Northwood Solon Springs' #8 hitter, Lily Borst came to bat, quickly falling behind Weik, 1-2 in the count. 

On the forth pitch of the at-bat, Latvala finally took off for second base on a steal attempt, but DeLeasky fired a missile to Jada Eggebrecht at second base for the final out of the inning.  The throw and tag were absolutely electrifying.  It's something we've seen before from DeLeasky but in that spot, it was just amazing.

The other play that has to be mentioned happened in top of the sixth inning. 
Lily Borst would again come to bat and would reach base with a hit by pitch. Again, the team would have to find a way to work out of trouble with the score tied, 0-0, and nobody out.

Annika Patrick would then fly out to Weik on a bunt attempt for the first out.
Moments later, Borst would advance to second base on a passed ball and would also take third base on a ball that got away from DeLeasky. 

With just one out and the go-ahead run standing at third base, Emme Golembiewski came to bat.  The Northwood catcher sent a well hit fly ball to center field.  But what happened next was perhaps the finest play I've ever seen a high school outfielder make. 

Center fielder Alie Williams made the play of the year when she caught the Golembiewski fly and threw a one-hop dime to home plate where Megan DeLeasky applied the tag to a sliding Borst for the final out of the inning.  The play was executed to perfection.  Alie waited on the ball before charging ahead to get forward momentum on her throw.  The ball was hit with good depth so I was not actually expecting a play at the plate.  Williams had other ideas though.  The play from the emerging star sent Phillips to the bottom of the seventh with a chance to tie or win. 

Things got off to an excellent start as Paige Edwards led off the final frame with a tailing double down the right field line.

Mataya Eckert would enter as a courtesy runner for Edwards, and the team had something going. 

Brianna Guzinski came up to bat in a familiar position where she has thrived this year, and that is hitting with runners in scoring position.  Guzinski led the team in RBIs this year by coming up big in clutch situations.  This time, Guzinski did her job to perfection as she laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Eckert to third base. 

With one out, Kendall Weik would ground to third base with Eckert charging towards home.  Unfortunately, a sliding Eckert would be tagged at home plate for the second out, and Megan DeLeasky would fly out to first base to end the once promising rally.

So many incredible things happened this season and even in defeat tonight, this team should hold its head high.

The future remains bright and this team will grow from experience like this. 

To the senior players, thank you for three amazing years that have helped sustain a culture of winning in Phillips.  This program has emerged as one of very best in the area thanks to your contributions.  Be proud of your accomplishments.  Few others can even come close to the level of excellence you have enjoyed with hard work and dedication.

And always remember the good times like I remember my time on the diamond.  Remember, some things stay with us.  Let those things be the good times and amazing memories.

Thanks again for allowing me to witness your journey and to be a part of this special group.

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May 25, 2022:  A superb season for the Phillips Loggers softball team got a little bit sweeter this week when Marawood North All-Conference selections were announced. 

Kendall Weik was chosen as the Marawood North Conference Player of the Year and was one of five Loggers players chosen for First Team All-Conference honors. 

Weik, Jada Eggebrecht, Brianna Guzinski, Megan DeLeasky, and Paige Edwards all garnered First Team All-Conference recognition.    Eggebrecht and DeLeasky joined Weik as unanimous selections.

Landing more than half of a starting roster on a First Team All-Conference list is amazing, but the Loggers accomplished something even more astonishing when all nine starters received some form of All-Conference recognition. 

Jensen Weik, Kacy Eggebrecht, and Alie Williams were chosen to Second Team All-Conference and Brooke Eckert received Honorable Mention.  Eckert was just one point shy of Second Team recognition.

Not surprisingly, Blake Edwards was selected as Coach of the Year.  Edwards was Coach of the Year last season, as well.

Individual accolades are typically a bi-product of team success.  But each of these girls - and the team as a whole - has played their part brilliantly on their way to another conference title and a #1 seed in the ongoing playoffs.

The team's identity has been forged with excellent pitching, strong defense, and the execution of fundamentals.  The All-Conference recognition is a reflection of that identity.

Starting with pitching, Kendall Weik was sensational for the Loggers.  The junior phenom dominated on her way to a 6-0 record in Marawood North conference play.  In just over 33 innings pitched against Marawood North opponents, Weik accumulated a whopping 62 strikeouts.  The raw counting stats would only grow more impressive if Phillips played in more 7 inning games.  But the team usually finishes games in five innings.  Weik's Strikeout Per 7 Innings (K/7) rate is 13/7.  That's 13 strikeouts per 7 inning game!
In the past month alone, Weik has pitched a no hitter against Prentice as well as a 17 strikeout gem against last year's Marawood North co-champion, the Athens Bluejays.  No matter who she faced, she excelled.  Including games against Marawood South teams and other non-conference matchups, Weik went 10-0 with 97 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 63 innings pitched.

Weik's journey to prominence has not been without obstacles, however.  Weik lost her freshman season in 2020 to COVID, and most of her sophomore campaign was also lost to a knee injury sustained while playing basketball for the Loggers basketball team.  Weik tore the ACL, MCL, and meniscus in her knee in December of 2020.  The injury required two surgeries and she is now 14 months removed from her last procedure.  The journey to get to this point is incredible and so satisfying to see her emerge through so much adversity. 

Behind Weik, the team is bolstered with amazing defense and fundamentally sound execution. 

Jada Eggebrecht could be referred to as a five-tool player since she possesses five rare physical tools (speed, throwing, fielding, hitting for average, and hitting for power).  But what makes her even more rare is her selflessness and quiet yet effective demeanor.  She raises the level of her teammates by simply leading by example.  She could play any position at a high level, but she is most valuable for the Loggers at shortstop. 
This year, Eggebrecht batted .455 in Marawood North conference play and led the team in runs with 13 as well as drawing 8 walks.  For the entire season, Jada paced the team with 23 runs while also driving in 18 runs on her 25 hits.  Jada also had two home runs this season to share the team lead and had 8 extra base hits.  Last year, Jada was the conference player of the year while pitching for the Loggers.  Jada has also been a first team all conference selection all three years a team was chosen.

Brianna Guzinski joins Eggebrecht as a three-time selection to the All-Conference team, but this time she broke through as a First Team selection.  Guzinski led the Loggers with 16 RBI while also batting a robust .423 in Marawood North conference play.  For the entire season, Brianna had 13 runs and 20 RBI on 19 hits.  Ten of her 19 hits went for extra bases.  Brianna also played elite defense at first base.  The senior has been a Second Team selection twice before.

Megan DeLeasky also returns as a repeat First Team unanimous selection at catcher.  The junior is another versatile player that could shine at most positions but is especially valuable behind home plate.  DeLeasky has made numerous jaw-dropping throws this season to erase base runners, and she has provided plenty of firepower while generally batting sixth in the Logger lineup.  Megan had two home runs on the year and is always a major threat on the bases.  DeLeasky racked up 18 hits, 20 runs and 12 RBI over the entire season.  Ten of her 18 hits went for extra bases.

Rounding out the First Team All-Conference selections for Phillips is Paige Edwards.  Against Marawood North foes, the newcomer led the team in hits (14) and batting average.  The senior slashed her way to a ridiculous .583 batting average in those contests.  The season-long totals for Edwards include a team leading 26 hits to go with 16 RBI and a .510 batting average.  Paige always seemed to ignite something with her fantastic hitting and also pitched very well this season when called upon. 

Jensen Weik, Kacy Eggebrecht, and Alie Williams also played spectacular defense this year on their way to Second Team All-Conference recognition.  The trio of players has been recognized as All-Conference selections in back-to-back seasons.  Jensen was a First Team selection last year, while Kacy Eggebrecht has been named as a two-time Second Team selection.  And Alie Williams moved from Honorable Mention last year to Second Team in her sophomore year.  Each of these girls, as well as Brooke Eckert (Honorable Mention), has made enormous plays when the team has absolutely needed it.  They all make winning plays that largely go unnoticed but without them, the team would not have enjoyed the same level of success. 

Congratulations to these talented ladies on the well-deserved recognition!

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May 24, 2022:  An experienced Phillips Loggers softball team cruised to a convincing 14-1 victory over the visiting Cameron Comets Tuesday night. 

The Loggers did what you'd expect from a #1 seed by taking early control of the game thanks, in large part, to a 6-run second inning that got started with a pair of walks to Kendall Weik and Megan DeLeasky.

Perhaps the battery mates were paying extra close attention earlier this week in practice when Coach Blake Edwards talked about how no-out walks or errors typically come back to haunt teams.  And it's precisely what happened Tuesday night for Cameron in the second inning.

After the two walks to Weik and DeLeasky, opportunity came knocking for sophomore Alie Williams, and she cashed in with an RBI single to left field to score a sliding Lily Miller (courtesy runner for Weik).

Kacy Eggebrecht followed with a bunt single to score DeLeasky and would advance to second base on a throwing error.  This momentum further ignited the Loggers' offense, and continued when Jada Eggebrecht singled to center field to score her sister, Kacy, from second base. 

   

Jada would then steal third base with Jensen Weik laying down a terrific sacrifice bunt later in the at-bat to score a sliding Eggebrecht at home.

Paige Edwards would then single to right field with Mataya Eckert entering as her courtesy runner.  The speedy Eckert then stole second base and advanced to third on a bad throw from the catcher. 

Brianna Guzinski followed with an RBI-single to left field to stretch the lead to 6-0 before Cameron was able to record the last out of the second inning.

Ten Loggers would bat in the second inning, and the girls would really seize control early.

Kendall Weik would then pitch a quick third inning, and the Loggers continued the onslaught with another 6-run inning in their half of the third.

A lead-off walk to a very disciplined Megan DeLeasky would be the catalyst for another big inning.  DeLeasky would quickly advance to second base on a passed ball with Brooke Eckert at the plate.

Eckert then delivered an RBI-single to left field to score DeLeasky while Brooke alertly advanced to third base on a 2-base throwing error. 

This sequence would really open the floodgates with consecutive hits from Alie Williams, both Eggebrecht sisters, Jensen Weik, and Paige Edwards during the 6-run third inning.

The Loggers would send 11 batters to the plate in the third to go through the lineup in back-to-back innings while taking a commanding 12-0 lead through three innings.

The offensive outburst would easily be enough for an efficient Kendall Weik as the Loggers starter pitched 4 innings, scattering 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 9 batters.

Paige Edwards was just as effective in relief of Weik in the fifth inning.  A lead-off error to start the fifth would result in the only run for Cameron on the night.

The  Loggers tallied 14 hits and execution was excellent tonight. 

Jada Eggebrecht led the way with a 4 for 4 night to go with 3 runs and an RBI.

Paige Edwards continued to swing a hot bat going 3 for 4 with an RBI.

The team also got a big night from Alie Williams as the center fielder went 2 for 3, with 2 runs and an RBI.

The entire lineup is really starting to heat up at the right time.  And they'll need to continue to execute this Thursday.  The girls will face Northwood/Solon Springs at home.  Northwood/Solon Springs is the #4 seed.

Good job, ladies!  And good luck this Thursday!

May 16, 2022:  When the final out was recorded and the Phillips Loggers softball team converged in front of its visiting dugout, the first two words Coach Blake Edwards shared with his squad were, "Welcome back."  Those two words seemed appropriate as the Loggers got some of its swag back by defeating the Medford Raiders, 3-0.  This victory came just three days after a less than memorable win against Marathon.  It was a signature win against one of the better teams in the state and it came at a perfect time.

   
 
The Loggers were hoping for a "get right" game in their regular season finale.  They sure "got right" tonight behind strong pitching, outstanding defense, and superb situational hitting.  Simply put, when the team had to have it, they got it.

After 1-2-3 innings for each team in the first, the Loggers got something going in the top of the second inning when Kendall Weik drew a 1-out walk. 

Freshman Lily Miller entered as a courtesy runner for Weik and would advance to second base after a throwing error by Raiders catcher Eryka Seidl.

With two out in the inning, and Miller at second base, the stage was set for sophomore Brooke Eckert.  Batting #7 in the Loggers lineup, Eckert delivered in the clutch with an RBI single to right field to score Miller for the first run of the game.

Medford retired the next batter to avoid further damage, trailing 1-0.

Loggers pitcher Kendall Weik worked quickly through the Raiders batting order as she would allow only one base runner through three innings.

Moving to the bottom of the fourth inning, and Phillips clinging to a 1-0 lead, the Raiders would get its first hit off of Weik when junior Allie Paulson served a single to center field on the seventh pitch of the at-bat. 

Laurissa Klapatauskas would come to the plate in one of the pivotal moments of the game.

Klapatauskas sent a drive to the left center field gap that would be tracked down by speedy Alie Williams.  The sophomore center fielder saw Paulson digging around second base attempting to reach third and fired an absolute dart to Kacy Eggebrecht where she would apply the tag to a sliding Paulson at third base for a momentum shifting play and the first out.  The throw and tag were both executed with textbook precision.

Still, the Raiders had a serious threat mounting with Klapatauskas at second (advancing on the Williams throw to third base) and only one out.

Medford senior Rynn Ruesch came up for the Raiders and worked the count to 3-1 before sending a ground ball towards Loggers shortstop Jada Eggebrecht.  Looking back, Klapatauskas at second base, Eggebrecht threw to Brianna Guzinski at first base, but the throw was not in time to retire Ruesch.  As Eggebrecht threw, Klapatauskas aggressively attempted to advance to third base but was not aware of Guzinski's cannon-like throwing arm.  The senior first basemen would rifle a perfect throw across the infield to Kacy Eggebrecht just in time to apply the tag for the second out.  Again, perfect execution and awareness by everyone involved on the play.

With two out now recorded, and momentum heavily swung in Phillips' favor, Kendall Weik was able strike out Makala Ulrich to end the threat for Medford in the fourth.

Each team would go quietly in the fifth in a game that was shaping up as a pitching duel between Kendall Weik and Klapatauskas.

With just two hits through five innings, Phillips was able to solve some of the mystery with Klapatauskas in the sixth.

Jensen Weik led off with a single blooped over first base that was followed with another single by the steady hitting machine that is Paige Edwards.  Each base runner would move station to station at first and second.

Guzinski would then follow with a sacrifice bunt that was mishandled by Medford to force a bases loaded situation with nobody out. 

Kendall Weik would look to help her cause in a big spot.  Trailing 1-2 in the count, Weik fouled off two more balls before rolling a ground ball towards shortstop Allie Paulson.  Paulson fired the ball to home plate but the throw was late for the charging Jensen Weik.  Phillips would go up 2-0 and still nobody out.

Klapatauskas would get Megan DeLeasky to pop up for the first out (infield fly rule), which brought Brooke Eckert to the plate with one out.

Again, Eckert delivered in the clutch.  This time, she served a sac fly to left field, scoring Paige Edwards from third base to extend the lead to 3-0.  This was situational hitting at its finest.

Medford would retire the next batter and head to the bottom of the sixth inning looking for an answer.

After Weik issued a leadoff walk to Morgan Huegli, it looked like Medford might be in business again, but Weik got Paulson to fly out to center field for the first out.

In a critical juncture of the game, a star player made a star play when shortstop Jada Eggebrecht robbed Klapatauskas of a base hit when she made a diving stab just inches off the ground in a full extension to erase any chance for a rally.  From there, Weik was able to record the final four outs with little trouble and the team improved to 15-2.

It was a complete team effort for Phillips as they manufactured three runs out of just four hits and four walks while playing fantastic defense and executing brilliantly when the situation required it.

Brooke Eckert had a night to remember, going 1 for 2 with two huge RBIs.

Kendall Weik also pitched a dandy.  The junior went all 7 innings, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 7 batters.

This is something to build on and to gain confidence as the playoffs start next week for this special team.

Phillips will play next Tuesday at home against the winner of the Ladysmith - Cameron regional game. Game time is TBD.  Come to the park to cheer on these ladies!

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May 13, 2022:  17-14.  That sounds like a football score in a game that features strong defense.  But, tonight, that's what the softball scoreboard read when the final out was made in Phillips as the Lady Loggers held on to beat a struggling Marathon Red Raiders team in a game that might be best described as sloppy.

   
On a night that celebrated a memorable class of senior players that prides itself on strong defense and fundamentals, the team committed numerous errors, (four, by this bookkeeper's count, with at least two others that could have been added), that made winning much more difficult than the Loggers might have first imagined.  Marathon came into play with a record of 3-14.

The team was narrowly able to overcome the sloppy play by scoring a season-high 17 runs.  It should be noted that five of these runs came via wild pitch or a passed ball at home plate.  The Loggers were also helped out with 12 walks issued by Red Raider pitching.

In a common theme of late, the Loggers found themselves trailing 2-0 in the first inning. 

Red Raider leadoff hitter Jada Prihoda reached on a single to center field and was able to advance to second base after a possible double-play ball was hit to Kacy Eggebrecht but was mishandled by the typically sure-handed Jensen Weik for a force out at second base.  Both runners were safe and would later score thanks to a Delaney Lang 2-out single to right field. 

   

Kendall Weik was able to strike out Kali Prihoda to escape further damage in the top of the first.

The Loggers then came to bat in the bottom of the first and would turn two hits and two walks into four runs.
 
Jensen Weik singled and was advanced to second base after Paige Edwards drew a walk.  Brianna Guzinski would follow with a walk of her own, which brought Kendall Weik to the plate with the bases loaded and one out.  Kendall would score her sister Jensen on a fielder's choice to second base. 

Megan DeLeasky followed with a walk that turned into a double when she advanced to second base with some aggressive base running after Prihoda issued a wild pitch on Ball Four.  DeLeasky would again be a terror on the base paths by scoring from second base behind Lily Miller on a wild pitch with Brooke Eckert at bat.  Eckert would make the final out of the inning on a ground-out to second base.

The Red Raiders then answered the Loggers 4-run first with five runs in the second.  This time, two walks, three singles, and a wild pitch would be the culprit for the big inning.

Ella Mader delivered a 2-out single to left field to score two, which was followed up with an RBI single to center field from Sophia Tylinski.  Tylinski would later score on a passed ball / wild pitch for Marathon's final run in the second inning.

Things only got crazier as the Loggers would send 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second.  Seven walks and several passed balls were issued in the frame, and the Loggers cashed in with 10 runs to open a seemingly comfortable lead at 14-7.  In that big inning, just three base runners reached with hits; a double each from Guzinski and DeLeasky to go with a single from Kendall Weik.

Marathon picked up another run in the third but Phillips answered with three more runs to go up 17-8.

The score would remain 17-8 as Paige Edwards came in to relieve Kendall Weik to work a quick forth inning.

Needing just one run to expand the score to enforce the 10-run rule, the Loggers were not able to capitalize in the fifth and sixth innings while Jada Eggebrecht pitched in relief of Edwards.

The inability to push one more runner across home plate turned out to be a major storyline as Marathon would string together 5 consecutive hits to start the seventh.  The Red Raiders would collect six hits in the inning on their way to a 6-run rally.  The Loggers also committed three errors in the deciding frame, which forced Kendall Weik to re-enter as pitcher to close the door on Marathon for good.

It was a wild game and hopefully one the girls will put behind them and learn from. 

The Loggers will have a chance to get rid of a bad taste in their mouths next Monday in Medford as the two highly ranked teams square-off for a second time this season.  Phillips defeated Medford 2-0 on April 11th.  Medford (17-3) was recently #7 in the state Division 2 rankings.  Phillips (14-3) was recently #5 in Division 4.  Good luck to the teams as they meet again.

   

May 12, 2022:  The Phillips Loggers softball team earned a hard-fought 12-6 victory against a scrappy Rib Lake Lady Redmen team on Thursday to improve to 13-2 on the season. 

The win came one day after Phillips earned a #1 playoff seed and just three days after clinching an outright conference championship against these same Lady Redmen.

Once again, the Loggers would hand the ball back to their ace, Kendall Weik.  The talented junior pitcher fired a no-hitter against Rib Lake on Monday but had a lot more adversity in this one.

Leading 4-0 entering the bottom half of the second inning, Weik and the Loggers ran into some trouble against a host of Lady Redmen hitters.
 
Josie Scheithauer would lead off the second inning with a nine-pitch at bat before earning a walk against the stingy Weik.  Two bloop singles into shallow right field by Tessa Krause and Emily Rodman would push Scheithauer across for Rib Lake’s first run.  It was the start of a big inning for Rib Lake, as they would send 11 batters to the plate in the inning.  The Lady Redmen would tally five hits and two walks before the Loggers would finally get out of the inning, trailing 5-4.

Needing an answer to the big inning for Rib Lake, Megan DeLeasky led off the third inning with a single to left field.  The speedy junior would steal second base and later advance to third base on a passed ball.  Brooke Eckert would then ground out to third base, scoring DeLeasky for Phillips’ lone run in the third to draw even, 5-5.

   

Phillips would push one run across the plate in each of the next three innings, while the Lady Redmen would pick up a run in the sixth to pull within two, 8-6, as the teams headed for the final inning.

The Loggers finally put the game away with a 4-run seventh.  Most of the damage came on a 3-run homer for Kendall Weik.  It was the first home run of the year for Weik. 

Paige Edwards pitched the final inning and two-thirds, limiting Rib Lake to one run on three hits.

The Loggers owned the hit column, 12-10, while also adding 13 walks in the contest.  Jada Eggebrecht led the way once again with a 1 for 3 night, including 3 walks, 3 runs, 3 stolen bases, and an RBI.

The Loggers host the Marathon Red Raiders (3-14) Friday night.  It will be senior night.  Come on out and celebrate this group of seniors and the team as a whole.  Game time is 4:45 p.m.

May 10, 2022:  Kendall Weik threw a no-hitter to lead the Phillips Loggers to a Marawood North Conference Championship tonight by defeating the Rib Lake Lady Redmen, 11-0.
 
Weik was clearly dominant once again, striking out 10 batters, including an impressive 8 batter stretch. 

   

As is usually the case, someone has to make a special play in the field to help keep a no-hitter alive.  Tonight, that distinction belongs to Kacy Eggebrecht.  The outstanding third baseman climbed the proverbial ladder to rip extra bases away from Kyla Kennedy on a rocket seemingly destined for left field, keeping the no-hitter intact through four innings.

Weik actually carried a perfect game into the fifth inning but lost the bid after she walked Danielle Mann with one out in the frame. That was the only blemish on the night for the Loggers' ace. 

The Loggers also had an excellent night batting, led by Brianna Guzinski and Megan DeLeasky. 

Guzinski went 2 for 3 with a run and 4 RBI. The senior first baseman had a 2-RBI triple to get the Loggers on the board in the first inning, scoring Jensen Weik and Paige Edwards on the play.

DeLeasky also went 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI.  The junior catcher led off the third inning with a towering bomb over the left-center field wall.  The home run is DeLeasky's second of the season.

The Loggers posted 12 hits on the evening in a very balanced attack.

Congratulations to Coach Blake Edwards on his first outright conference championship!

The Loggers will travel to Rib Lake this Thursday to face the Lady Redmen again.  Game time is 4:45 p.m.

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May 6, 2022:  The Loggers softball team came up short tonight on the road against a talented Edgar Wildcat squad, falling 5-1. 

Phillips was red hot coming into action with an 11-1 record, thanks in large part to a ten game win streak; while Edgar was 6-3 overall entering the game.

The Wildcats turned to sophomore pitcher Makayla Wirkus, fresh off of 14 strikeout game against Newman Catholic this week while Phillips countered with senior pitcher Paige Edwards.

Similar to last night's game with Athens, the Loggers found themselves trailing 2-0 after one inning and Wirkus managed to work out of two jams in the first and third innings.

   

Trailing 5-0 in the sixth, Jensen Weik led off with a swinging bunt to get something going for the Loggers as the hot hitting Edwards stepped to the plate.  Edwards promptly dumped a single into shallow right field to advance Weik to third base. 

With runners at the corners and just one out, Kendall Weik delivered an RBI single to left center field to score her sister Jensen.  Unfortunately, this would be the only run in the Loggers rally attempt as Wirkus retired the next two batters before working a quick seventh inning to end the game.

The Loggers posted six hits on the evening, led by a 3 for 3 night from Edwards.

The Loggers' next game is Monday at home against Rib Lake at 4:45 p.m.  A win will secure a Marawood North Conference Championship, so come on out to the ballpark and get behind this great group of girls!

May 5, 2022:  The Loggers softball team is one step closer to winning a conference championship tonight after defeating the Athens Bluejays, 7-3. 

The team found itself in an early hole after allowing two runs in the first inning and later trailed 3-0 after the 4th inning. 

It wasn't until the top of the 6th inning before Phillips would finally have a base runner, but Brooke Eckert set the table for a dramatic comeback after drawing a leadoff walk in the frame.

With Eckert at first base, fellow sophomore, Alie Williams, came to the plate and laced a 2-strike RBI triple to the left-center field gap to cut the deficit to two runs.

Kacy Eggebrecht then followed with an infield single to score Williams, which brought Jada Eggebrecht to the plate with a chance to draw even.  The uber-talented senior delivered with a clutch RBI double to the left-center field gap to tie the game, 3-3.

Jensen Weik then laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to advance Jada to third base. 

With one out in the sixth inning, Paige Edwards came to bat with a chance to score Eggebrecht from third base.  In a crazy sequence of events, Edwards dumped a ball over the first baseman's head that initially appeared to be caught by the ranging second baseman in a diving attempt near the foul line.  Eggebrecht advanced for the apparent go-ahead run but quickly retreated back to third base due to the uncertainty of a clear catch.  After the umpires sorted out the play, Edwards was ruled out at first, and Eggebrecht still stood at third base.

Senior Brianna Guzinski then delivered in the clutch with a two-out RBI single to shallow right field, which gave Phillips its first lead, 4-3.  Athens was then able to escape the inning without further damage, now trailing by one run after the Loggers huge rally.

   

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Athens had a scoring opportunity with a runner at first base and one out.  Kendall Weik struck out the next Bluejay batter, and, two plays later, catcher Megan DeLeasky made one of the biggest plays of the game when she threw an absolute laser to second base to record a "caught stealing" to end the Athens scoring threat.

With momentum now clearly on the Loggers' side, the team came up to bat in the top of the seventh inning.

Brooke Eckert again led off the inning, this time with a single to left field.  Senior Emily Schultz executed a near perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Eckert to second base.  The team followed with more timely hitting and execution.

With two out in the top of the seventh, Jada Eggebrecht was intentionally walked in front of Jensen Weik.  Weik followed with a hit towards shortstop, but the throw to third base was errant, and Eckert aggressively advanced for the sliding run at home plate.  Weik was safe at second base on the fielder's choice, and Eggebrecht advanced to third base.  Paige Edwards delivered the knockout punch with 2-RBI double to finish the Loggers scoring.

Kendall Weik retired the side in the seventh inning to close the game. Weik allowed 8 hits, 2 earned runs, and struck out 9 batters. 

The Loggers recorded 7 hits on the night, all coming in the crucial sixth and seventh innings.

Phillips travels to Edgar tomorrow and will face Rib Lake in Phillips next Monday for a chance to earn a conference championship.  Game time is 4:45 p.m. on Monday, May 9, 2022.

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May 3, 2022:  Kendall Weik was utterly dominant on the mound tonight in leading the Loggers softball team to a 2-0 victory against the rival Athens Bluejays.  The Loggers ace allowed just 3 hits and struck out an astonishing 17 batters in the game. 

   

The talented junior has been pitching lights-out all season but tonight was her finest moment.  Every pitch had the intensity you'd expect from a rivalry game and she delivered an electrifying performance in the pivotal Marawood North matchup.

Helping her cause, Weik went 1 for 2 with one run and an RBI double.  Kendall led off the 5th inning with a walk before scoring her run on an error with two outs already made.  That was all she needed as she shut down the Bluejays the rest of the way.

Also leading the way was her batterymate, Megan DeLeasky.  The junior catcher delivered 2 of the Loggers 4 hits while reaching base safely in all three of her at bats. 

The team is now 10-1 on the season and will travel to Athens this Thursday for a game that could go a long way towards securing an outright conference championship for the Loggers.  Best of luck to the team!

April 29, 2022:  Another strong performance by the Loggers softball team tonight as they took care of business against the Stratford Tigers, winning by a score of 15-2.  Jada Eggebrecht had another stellar performance by collecting another 3 hits, 3 runs, and an RBI.  It seems like these girls all take turns with huge contributions, and tonight it was Megan DeLeasky's turn.  The talented junior catcher went 3 for 3 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs.  She launched an absolute bomb for her first home run of the season to go with a double while playing strong defense behind the plate.  The Loggers had 13 hits on the night.  Excellent performance, Ladies!

April 28, 2022:  The Lady Loggers softball team continued to roll tonight in their convincing sweep of the Chequamegon Screaming Eagles.  The Loggers won each game, 11-0.

Jada Eggebrecht just keeps getting hotter at the plate.  In Game One, she went 2 for 3 with two no-doubt home runs and 4 RBI.  Paige Edwards also stayed hot at the plate, going 3 for 3.  And Brianna Guzinski went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI and her first homer of the year.  The girls collected 13 hits in Game One.

   

In Game Two, Jada went 3 for 4 with two runs.  Alie Williams went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI.  And Paige Edwards pitched an efficient game, limiting Chequamegon to one hit.  The Loggers tallied 9 hits in their 11-0 Game Two win.

There's lots to be excited about with the way this team is coming together.
(This post was last modified: 05-27-2022, 12:32 AM by My Northern Wisconsin.)