LOGGERS SOFTBALL HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2025

[My Northern Wisconsin]

By:  Steve Teeters


MAY 8, 2025:  PHILLIPS LOGGERS VS. RIB LAKE REDMEN

   
Photo by:  Steve Teeters

The Phillips Loggers softball team kept their chances of a conference championship alive on Thursday night when they rallied to beat the Rib Lake Redmen 6-5 in Phillips.

The Loggers' victory snapped a two-game losing streak after the team had previously rattled off wins in five of their prior six games.  Phillips lost 13-1 to a talented Stratford squad last Friday and then lost 8-3 to this same Rib Lake team on Tuesday.
 
The Loggers took an early 1-0 advantage when Mataya Eckert singled and scored on a throwing error after stealing third base. 

Rib Lake would respond with a 2-run second inning to recapture the lead, however.  Madelyn Dallmann doubled to the left centerfield gap and was later joined on the bases by Lily Butler.   

Addison Gumz then punched a 2-out single into shallow center field to plate Dallmann and Butler to close out the Redmen scoring in the second.

An inning later, the Loggers regained the lead after Trinity Smith and Annaka Tobias each doubled and scored.  Tobias plated Smith with a hit down the third base line and later scored on a Raelee Williams' sacrifice bunt to go up 3-2.

The score would remain 3-2 until the top of the sixth inning.  The Redmen got three runs in the frame when they used two walks, another big 2-out hit from Gumz, and an RBI-single from Tahlia Scheithauer to grab a 5-3 lead.

The Redmen lead quickly evaporated when the Loggers came right back with an answer in their half of the sixth that started with a single by freshman Delaney Fore.  The single brought the top of the order to bat with just one out and another scoring opportunity. 

The Loggers previously failed to capitalize on great scoring threats in the second and fifth innings but finally broke through when it mattered most. 

In the span of three pitches, the Loggers got hits from Fore, Eckert, and Smith.  The last of the three hits was a 2-run double to draw even at 5-5.  Two batters later, Smith scored the go-ahead run on a 2-out RBI-single by Lily Miller.

Clinging to a 6-5 lead in a back-and-forth game, the Loggers looked to close out the game in the top of the seventh.  Annaka Tobias got the first batter to fly out to shortstop, but a 1-out single from Madilyn Blomberg turned into a legitimate scoring threat when a 1-base error allowed Blomberg to advance to second base on the hit.  Tobias then got two huge outs with a flyout to second base and a game-ending strikeout to secure the Loggers' dramatic victory.

The Loggers collected ten hits on the night.  Eckert, Smith, Tobias, and Miller each tallied two hits apiece.  Eckert and Smith both scored twice.  Smith has been on a tear with runners on for most of the year.  Her two RBI on Thursday pushed her season total to a team-leading 17.

Tobias scattered 8 hits and 5 walks to go with 3 strikeouts.  The win was Tobias' seventh of the year. 

The Loggers (8-5) face another strong challenge on Friday when Edgar (10-7) travels to Phillips in a Marawood crossover game.  Game time is 4:45 p.m.

Rib Lake (3-1 in conference / 7-3 overall) faces Newman Catholic (0-10) on Friday.  But then closes out its Marawood North schedule with two tilts against Chequamegon (1-3 in conference / 5-7 overall) next week.  A loss from Rib Lake in either game would mean Phillips would have at least a share of a conference title.


MAY 1, 2025:  LOGGERS VS. BLUEJAYS, PART 2

   
Photo by:  Steve Teeters

The Phillips Loggers softball team defeated the Athens Bluejays 6-4 on Thursday night in Marawood North Conference action.  The Loggers exacted revenge after losing to the Bluejays on Tuesday and kept their chances of a conference championship alive with the victory.

The Loggers found themselves trailing early when Abby Diethelm doubled to left centerfield to score Karly Eckert after the Bluejays leadoff hitter walked to start the game. 

Annaka Tobias got out of the first inning trailing 1-0 when she registered back-to-back strikeouts to end the Bluejays' scoring threat in the first inning. 

The Loggers quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the first when Trinity Smith and Tobias each scored.  Smith belted a double to deep center field and scored on an RBI-single from Tobias.  Three batters later, Tobias scored on a Paula Pomeroy walk.

Athens would get out of a bases loaded jam in the first to keep the score close at 2-1. 

After holding Athens scoreless in the second inning, the Loggers tacked on three more runs to go up 5-1 in their half of the frame.  Macy Hertlein reached base on an infield throwing error and would score with Mataya Eckert on a 2-RBI single from the hot-hitting Smith.  Raelee Williams then plated Smith on an RBI-single up the middle to close the Loggers' scoring in the second.

Athens responded with three runs in the third inning when they used a Loggers' fielding error, three hits, and a pair of walks to close the gap to 5-4.

The Loggers added an insurance run to go up 6-4 in the fourth inning when Tobias helped her cause with a leadoff walk, and two stolen bases before scoring on a Lily Miller groundout.

Tobias limited Athens to two hits over the next three innings but still had to make some tough pitches with runners on.  The young Loggers pitcher ended the game with a bases loaded strikeout to pick up her sixth victory of the year.

The Loggers collected ten hits on the night to go with five walks.  Trinity Smith went 2 for 3 with 2 runs, 2 RBI, and a walk.  The freshman also picked up her team-leading fourth double.  Eckert, Williams, and Pomeroy each collected two hits.

Tobias limited the Bluejays to six hits and just one earned run, while striking out four batters on a misty night in Phillips. 

The Loggers (7-3) head to Stratford (9-5) on Friday in a Marawood crossover game.


APRIL 29, 2025:  LOGGERS VS. BLUEJAYS

   
Photo by:  Steve Teeters

The Phillips Loggers softball team let a golden opportunity slip away in Athens when they lost to the Bluejays 6-5 on Tuesday night.

The Loggers took a 1-0 lead in the first when Mataya Eckert tripled to right centerfield before scoring on a sacrifice bunt by Trinity Smith.

The lead would then grow to 3-0 in the fourth inning.  Annaka Tobias started the inning with a double to left centerfield, which was followed by a single from Lily Miller.  Raelee Williams then delivered an RBI-single to left field to score Tobias.  Miller would also score on a double steal to give the Loggers the early 3-0 advantage.

Athens would respond with a run in the bottom of the fourth when Danica Diethelm doubled and later scored on a sacrifice bunt.  But Tobias would limit the scoring with some solid pitching to escape the fourth with a 3-1 lead.

Phillips got another run in the top of the fifth to go up 4-1.  Eckert got the Phillips offense going with a 1-out single to left field and a stolen base before scoring on an RBI-single from Smith.  That would be all the scoring the Loggers would get in the inning, leaving two runners stranded in scoring position.

   
Photo by:  Steve Teeters

Athens started the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff single, but it looked like the Loggers might have a good chance to leave the inning unscathed after getting a flyout for the second out of the inning.  With two runners on, the Loggers got a flyball to shallow centerfield but were unable to field it cleanly, resulting in a run and an extra out for Athens.  Before the Loggers were able to escape the inning, the Bluejays would plate four big runs.  Phillips now found themselves trailing 5-4 heading to the sixth inning.

The Loggers did respond with a game-tying run when Marlo Edwards came around to score on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Delaney Fore.  Fore laid down a nice bunt and reached safely following a throwing error to first base.  Edwards would race home from second base to score.  Unfortunately, the Loggers would strand the bases loaded, with the game now tied 5-5.

Things started well for the Phillips defense in the top of the sixth when Tobias got two outs against the bottom of the Bluejays' order. 

Now facing the top of the Bluejays order, Tobias would walk Karly Eckert on a 6-pitch at-bat before facing Alyvia Haelhke.  The at-bat turned out to be a pivotal moment in the game and also brought some controversy with it.

Haelhke sent a soft flyball immediately behind first base but towards the foul line.  The Loggers' second baseman, Marlo Edwards, made a diving attempt at the ball as it was falling towards foul territory.  Edwards was unable to come away with the catch, and the officials ruled the ball in-play.  Karly Eckert came home to score, which now gave Athens a 6-5 lead.  Phillips would get out of the inning two batters later but now had to come up with some late inning magic.

The Loggers got a leadoff single by Miller in the seventh and were able to get a 2-out error and a walk to load the bases.  But, once again, Athens turned away a great scoring threat by getting a called third strike to end the game.

Phillips had eight hits on the night.  Lily Miller went 3 for 3 with a run scored.  Mataya Eckert went 2 for 3 with two runs, a walk, and a stolen base.  Trinity Smith had a hit, two RBI, and two stolen bases.

Annaka Tobias had a tough luck outing in the loss.  The freshman allowed seven hits and four walks but was charged with just one earned run.  She also tallied six strikeouts.

Phillips (6-3, 2-1 in conference play) will look to avenge their loss to Athens (4-4, 1-2 in conference play) in a rematch this Thursday at home.