WILTON — Two of the top Class 2A softball teams met on Monday, June 10 in Wilton. There, the No. 8 Wilton Beavers hosted No. 2 Durant picking up their rivalry with high stakes involved. Both were looking to keep up with two other state ranked teams in the RVC, West Liberty and Iowa City Regina. Durant has owned the series in recent years with a 13-3 record in the last 16 regular season games. At one point, Durant won 12 straight from 2012 to 2017. Last year, Durant swept Wilton by scores of 2-0 and 4-1. The two teams were on a trajectory to face off in a 2A Regional Final with the winner going to state last year, until Bellevue upset the top-ranked Wildcats.
This year, the two teams would split their doubleheader with the 8th ranked Bevers winning 3-2 in game one, and the 2nd ranked Wildcats winning in game two, 2-1. With postseason brackets coming out soon, the two teams could face each other once again in a winner-take all game in this year’s postseason.
In game one, Durant left two runners on base and came away with no runs in the first inning. Wilton scored the games first run in the bottom of the first. Mallory Lange led off with a single, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. She scored on a RBI single by Payton Ganzer to give Wilton a 1-0 lead. That lead held until the top of the fourth inning. There, Durant senior Kamryn Meyer smashed a Mila Johnson pitch over the outfield fence for a solo home run, tying the game at 1. The Wildcats left runners stranded at third base in the top of the third, and fourth innings.
Wilton would take control of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when they scored two runs. The Beavers sent seven batters to the plate. A RBI double by Kortney Drake that scored Alexis Walker gave Wilton a 2-1 lead. Chloe Wells followed with a RBI single to score Drake to give Wilton the 3-2 lead. Durant had a chance to tie the game in the top of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Ruby Kappeler hit a one-out double and stole third to give the Wildcats a prime scoring chance. Then, Hannah Happ’s bunt attempt popped up and was caught for the second out. Wilton alertly fired to third base to double up Kappeler who had broke for home on contact. The play was for the third out of the inning to keep the score at 3-2 Wilton. The Wildcats sent the heart of their order (Allie Poston, Kira Schult, Mallory Warner) to the plate in the seventh but they all were retird, ending the game.
Kamryn Meyer took the loss despite working six innings and striking out 12 batters. She walked one and gave up three runs on three hits. Durant had nine hits in the game with two players with multi-hit games. Ruby Kappeler and Mallory Warner were each 2-for-4 in the game with a double. Meyer and Hannah Happ each had a hit and RBI. Allie Poston, Kylie Schult and Paige Werthmann each had a hit. Abby Rhoades and Kappeler each had stolen bases and Happ reached base via a walk.
Mila Johnson was the winning pitcher having worked all seven innings for the win. She struck out six, walked one and gave up two runs on nine hits. Mallory Lange was 2-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs scored. Kortney Drake, Chloe Wells, and Payton Ganzer all had RBI hits with Drake’s being a double. Alexis Walker added a single.
Game two was just as close. This time, Durant got the one-run win, 3-2. Just like the first game, Wilton scored first in the bottom of the opening inning. Chloe Wells hit a two-out triple, and scored on a wild pitch to give Wilton a 1-0 lead. Wells started the game, and cruised until the top of the third. There, Durant tied the game 1-1. Ruby Kappeler reached on a two-out hit and promptly stole second base. She would advance to third base on an error and later score on an error to tie the game.
Mila Johnson relieved Wells in the fourth and retired nine straight Wildcats to get the seventh inning where the game remained tied. The Beavers had two scoring chances in that time, getting a baserunner to second base in each of hte fourth, fifth and sixth innings. None scored however, keeping the score at 1-1. Neither team would score in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings, or the eighth.
Durant broke the 1-1 tie in the top of the ninth inning. Allie Poston led off the inning with a single and was moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mallory Warner. Poston moved to third on an error ad scored on a sacrifice fly by Kylie Schult.
Kamryn Meyer pitched all nine innings and got the victory. She allowed one unearned run and scattered four hits. She struck out seven and walked two. Durant had six hits in the game. Allie Poston was 2-for-4 to lead Durant. Ruby Kappeler, Hannah Happ each had hits, as did Kamryn Meyer and Kira Schult. Happ and Schult drove in the two Wildcat runs.
Chloe Wells started the game and went three innings. She struck out five, gave up three hits and one run. She did not walk a batter. Mila Johnson pitched six innings in relief and took the loss. She struck out six, walked no batters and gave up two hits. Peyton Souhrada was 2-for-4 with a double to lead the Beavers offense. Mallory Lange and Chloe Wells had the other hits for Wilton.
This year, the two teams would split their doubleheader with the 8th ranked Bevers winning 3-2 in game one, and the 2nd ranked Wildcats winning in game two, 2-1. With postseason brackets coming out soon, the two teams could face each other once again in a winner-take all game in this year’s postseason.
In game one, Durant left two runners on base and came away with no runs in the first inning. Wilton scored the games first run in the bottom of the first. Mallory Lange led off with a single, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. She scored on a RBI single by Payton Ganzer to give Wilton a 1-0 lead. That lead held until the top of the fourth inning. There, Durant senior Kamryn Meyer smashed a Mila Johnson pitch over the outfield fence for a solo home run, tying the game at 1. The Wildcats left runners stranded at third base in the top of the third, and fourth innings.
Wilton would take control of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when they scored two runs. The Beavers sent seven batters to the plate. A RBI double by Kortney Drake that scored Alexis Walker gave Wilton a 2-1 lead. Chloe Wells followed with a RBI single to score Drake to give Wilton the 3-2 lead. Durant had a chance to tie the game in the top of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Ruby Kappeler hit a one-out double and stole third to give the Wildcats a prime scoring chance. Then, Hannah Happ’s bunt attempt popped up and was caught for the second out. Wilton alertly fired to third base to double up Kappeler who had broke for home on contact. The play was for the third out of the inning to keep the score at 3-2 Wilton. The Wildcats sent the heart of their order (Allie Poston, Kira Schult, Mallory Warner) to the plate in the seventh but they all were retird, ending the game.
Kamryn Meyer took the loss despite working six innings and striking out 12 batters. She walked one and gave up three runs on three hits. Durant had nine hits in the game with two players with multi-hit games. Ruby Kappeler and Mallory Warner were each 2-for-4 in the game with a double. Meyer and Hannah Happ each had a hit and RBI. Allie Poston, Kylie Schult and Paige Werthmann each had a hit. Abby Rhoades and Kappeler each had stolen bases and Happ reached base via a walk.
Mila Johnson was the winning pitcher having worked all seven innings for the win. She struck out six, walked one and gave up two runs on nine hits. Mallory Lange was 2-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs scored. Kortney Drake, Chloe Wells, and Payton Ganzer all had RBI hits with Drake’s being a double. Alexis Walker added a single.
Game two was just as close. This time, Durant got the one-run win, 3-2. Just like the first game, Wilton scored first in the bottom of the opening inning. Chloe Wells hit a two-out triple, and scored on a wild pitch to give Wilton a 1-0 lead. Wells started the game, and cruised until the top of the third. There, Durant tied the game 1-1. Ruby Kappeler reached on a two-out hit and promptly stole second base. She would advance to third base on an error and later score on an error to tie the game.
Mila Johnson relieved Wells in the fourth and retired nine straight Wildcats to get the seventh inning where the game remained tied. The Beavers had two scoring chances in that time, getting a baserunner to second base in each of hte fourth, fifth and sixth innings. None scored however, keeping the score at 1-1. Neither team would score in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings, or the eighth.
Durant broke the 1-1 tie in the top of the ninth inning. Allie Poston led off the inning with a single and was moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mallory Warner. Poston moved to third on an error ad scored on a sacrifice fly by Kylie Schult.
Kamryn Meyer pitched all nine innings and got the victory. She allowed one unearned run and scattered four hits. She struck out seven and walked two. Durant had six hits in the game. Allie Poston was 2-for-4 to lead Durant. Ruby Kappeler, Hannah Happ each had hits, as did Kamryn Meyer and Kira Schult. Happ and Schult drove in the two Wildcat runs.
Chloe Wells started the game and went three innings. She struck out five, gave up three hits and one run. She did not walk a batter. Mila Johnson pitched six innings in relief and took the loss. She struck out six, walked no batters and gave up two hits. Peyton Souhrada was 2-for-4 with a double to lead the Beavers offense. Mallory Lange and Chloe Wells had the other hits for Wilton.
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