Grafton softball seniors go out on a high note

It was a special performance on a special night. The Grafton High School softball team last Friday celebrated senior night with an 18-0 shellacking of Cedar Grove-Belgium.

Grafton’s four seniors all contributed in multiple ways.

Ace Khiah King allowed one hit and three walks while whiffing 11 in five innings.

“It’s exciting. There’s a lot of energy going. It’s senior night,” she said.

Senior power-hitting shortstop Ava Eernisse went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and scored three runs. Senior Sydney Piaro went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Senior Kate Murray had a hit and an RBI. King went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.

The Hawks blew the game open with a nine-run third inning.

First-year coach Jasmine Freeze beamed about her seniors, starting with King.

“I’m just super proud of her because she looked like herself today. She had some pop. I just loved how she performed and it’s extra special because it’s senior day,” she said.

Eernisse, who is going on to play Division 3 hockey at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, has four homers and three triples this season.

“Ava’s bat is always hot. I love coaching her. I’m glad I got to see her and get to know her just for a year,” Freeze said.

On outfielder Piaro, Freeze said, “I’m so proud of her growth and how hard she has worked this year.”

Murray, another outfielder, Freeze said, “started in quite a few varsity games and I just have loved how she has gone about it, always with a great attitude, always positive and willing to work hard.”

Eernisse and King both loved their time in the softball program.

“It’s been a blast. Softball’s been my whole life, basically, playing Stingers and now in high school. It went by way too fast. Now that it’s senior night, just appreciating everyone in the program is great,” Eernisse said.

“It’s meant a lot to me,” King said. “A lot of these girls I’ve played with since I was little through the Stingers program. Being able to go through that and the high school season with them means a lot.”

This is the second sport King has had a new coach in as a senior. Last fall, she was a key player for the volleyball team’s Division 2 runner-up finish under coach Ashley Wilson.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking going into it, but both times I’ve enjoyed my coaches. I’ve had really good coaches for both sports,” King said.

Friday was Grafton’s second straight win. Last Thursday, the Hawks beat Nicolet, 23-16, behind 24 walks. King and junior Grace Zvara each had four. Junior Avery Schoggins had three.

Freshman Lucy Wilke had three hits, including a triple, and three RBIs. Sophomore Addi Haessly had two hits, including a double, five RBIs and scored three runs. Sophomore Abby Marti had a double and three RBIs.

“That was an opportunity to get players in who might not get in a varsity game often,” Freeze said.

Grafton, 8-9 overall and 4-6 in the North Shore Conference, was to play at Martin Luther on Wednesday, May 13. The Hawks play at Slinger on Thursday, May 14, and host Cedarburg on Monday, May 18.

Port’s losing streak reaches five

Port Washington’s rebuilding team under first-year coach Kaylow Huff recently took its lumps. After winning three games in a row, the Pirates lost their last five.

On Monday, undefeated Glacier Trails Conference leader Kewaskum (18-2 overall) beat Port, 15-3, in five innings.

Libby Bates had a double and an RBI. Maile Thompson and Savanna Miller each had a hit. Bates allowed 13 runs (12 earned), 10 hits and struck out a batter in 3-1/3 innings. Kayden Stasik allowed two runs, two hits and a walk in 1-2/3 innings.

Four Indians each hit a homer.

Huff got ejected in the fourth inning for arguing that a Kewaskum batter’s foot kept stepping out of the batter’s box.

Last Thursday, Port lost at Hartford, 9-4.

Stasik had a double and an RBI. Cadence Krueger had a double. Miller had a hit and an RBI. Teaghan Mueller-Stenz had two hits. Natalie Olson allowed seven runs (six earned), 10 hits and a walk while striking out one in four innings. Stasik allowed two unearned runs and a hit in two innings.

Miller has been a bright spot with five home runs on the season, hitting three in two games against West Bend West. She’s had hits in her last seven games and multiple hits in five of those. She attributes the power numbers to her hitting coach.

“He told me to be more relaxed and all of a sudden I was just hitting bombs,” she said. “I just felt so much better and more confident in myself.”

Huff said Miller understandably got off to a slow start to the season due to basketball but has picked it up.

“She’s a grinder. She’s the type that on weekends if we don’t have a practice she’ll hit me up and we’ll be in the cage working on stuff,” he said.

“She put in the work. It’s really come about the second half of the season especially. She’s seeing the ball well and making excellent contact. She’s just kind of taken off.”

Huff also likes the improved play of his infield — Chloe Cash at third, Krueger at shortstop, Kaden Stasik and Talan Steinert at second base and Shelby Cash at first.

“We haven’t been perfect but the infield has cleaned it up the second half of the season,” Huff said.

Port, 5-11 overall and 1-8 in the GTC, was to host Plymouth on Tuesday, May 12. Port plays at Sheboygan South on Thursday, May 14, and at Whitefish Bay on Tuesday, May 19.

CG-Belgium loses nine straight

The Rockets, after losing at Grafton, lost to Manitowoc Lutheran, 19-1, in five innings on Monday, and at Random Lake, 14-0, in five innings on Tuesday.

Random Lake’s Ava Daggett threw a no-hitter. The Rockets had two hits against Manitowoc Lutheran.

On May 5, the Rockets lost at Howards Grove, 12-11. Emmy Rulli had four hits, including a double, and an RBI. Lily Groth had two hits, including a double. Mia Hiller had two RBIs and Reese Posthuma and Madelyn Hopeman each had one. Jorjie Mejchar allowed 12 runs (seven earned), 11 hits and six walks while striking out six in 6-2/3 innings.

The Rockets scored three runs in the seventh inning to take an 11-9 lead. The Tigers answered with three runs to win.

Last Thursday, the Tigers beat the Rockets, 17-3, in Cedar Grove. Mejchar had a triple and Groth had a double. Mejchar allowed 17 runs (four earned), 12 hits and five walks while whiffing three in five innings. The Rockets made 10 errors.

The Rockets, 3-13 overall and 2-6 in the Big East Conference South, host Random Lake on Thursday, May 14, and Omro on Friday, May 15. They play at Winnebago Lutheran Academy on Tuesday, May 19.