Lady Bison secure a playoff berth in softball

Lady Bison seniors Heather Egan, Courtney Cunningham and (below) Meredith Shaw enjoyed their final home game on Friday -- a win to secure a spot in the post season playoffs. After an 8-1 loss to district champion Corrigan- Camden on Tuesday, the Lady Bison found themselves in a need to win situation on Friday. A win over Onalaska was needed to secure a playoff berth for Buffalo. A loss would give the Lady Cats a toe-hold into the battle for second and third. The Lady Bison held off a fifth inning threat to win 9-4 over Onalaska. The loss dropped the Lady Cats two games behind third place with one game remaining while Buffalo advanced to 10-3.

Onalaska led off with a single. Jennifer Pate quickly found Jordyn Briscoe for the out when the runner attempt- ed to steal second. The Lady Cats’ pitcher got on board with a single down the third base line. Senior first baseman Meredith Shaw fielded the sacrifice and connected with Heather Sigert for the second out. The four-slot batter drew a walk, giving Onalaska two runners in scoring position. Shaw snagged a pop up outside the baseline to retire the side.

Van’Go’photo Pate drew a walk in the bottom of the first. Briscoe followed with a single, and Nikki Dorman walked to load the bases. Pitcher Rachel Morris hit a sacrifice fly to deep center to score Pate. Sigert’s single scored Briscoe and gave Buffalo a 2-0 lead. Centerfielder Lindsey McGill attempted a sacrifice bunt, but Onalaska delayed the throw to freeze the runners and load the bases. With two outs, Courtney Cunningham drew four straight balls for a walk. Dorman scored on the walk-in. Sigert scored on a passed ball to push the Lady Bison to 4-0.

The Lady Cats opened the second inning with a single. Dorman fielded the next ball to Shaw for an out. Shaw fired back to Dorman, but just missed the tag at third. A sacrifice scored the run before Sigert caught an infield popup for the third out.

Lady Bison Jordyn Briscoe makes a throw to first for an out. Van’Go’photo The Lady Bison made contact in the second, but two pop ups resulted in two outs. Dorman hit a single up the middle, but was called out on the next play for leaving early.

Sigert connected with Shaw for the first out of the third inning. Morris struck out the next batter for two outs. Onalaska hit a single to left field, then followed with another single. Cunningham hosed a pop fly in left field for the third out before the Lady Cats could score.

The Lady Bison got two runners on in the third inning when Onalaska’s defense committed back-to-back errors. Shaw sacrificed, but Sigert was thrown out at home for the final out.

Only three batters faced the pitcher in the top of the fourth inning. Onalaska did not get the ball out of the infield on two attempts, and Cunningham caught another fly in left field.

Pitcher Rachel Morris continues to intimidate batters. Van’Go’photo Haley Ellison reached on an error in the bottom of the fourth. An error on a routine bunt advanced Ellison to third and Pate safely reached second. Dorman’s single scored both runs before Onalaska made the third out.

Onalaska made some noise in the fifth inning as Buffalo’s defense faltered. With two outs under their belts, the Lady Bison committed three errors, allowing two runs to score. Morris struck out the sixth batter to stop the rally.

Sigert led off in the fifth with a walk, and managed to steal two bases for a score. Shaw singled to centerfield to score McGill and give Buffalo an 8-3 lead.

Onalaska made one more stand in the sixth. The Lady Cats put a runner on with an error and sacrificed to advance. A single scored the run, and a second single advanced the runner to third. Briscoe snagged a pop up for the final out, stranding two.

With two outs in the sixth, Dorman and Morris ripped singles. Dorman scored before the last out for the 9-4 final.

The Lady Bison will wrap up district play in Anderson Shiro on Tuesday.