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Kaukauna shuts out Sun Prairie in the D1 state softball championship game to claim the program's third state title

07/01/2021, 11:30am CDT
By Norbert Durst

The Kaukauna softball team is taking home its third gold ball in as many trips to the state tournament. 

The Galloping Ghosts shut out Sun Prairie, 1-0, in the Division 1 state championship game. 

The pitching duel between Kaukauna's Skyler Calmes and Sun Prairie's Tayler Baker featured just nine hits and neither pitcher issued a walk. 

Calmes allowed four hits and struck out two to earn the victory. 

Baker struck out five for the Cardinals while allowing five hits and one run which was earned. 

Kaukauna scored its run in the bottom of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by shortstop Khloe Hinkens that scored left-fielder Ava VanAsten. 

The Galloping Ghosts' leadoff hitter Kally Meredith was the only player in the contest to record multiple hits, going 2-for-3. 

Kaukauna, which was ranked No. 5 in the final WFSCA/WSN Coaches Poll, finishes the year with a 27-2 record. 

Sun Prairie ends the year with a 24-4 record. The Cardinals were ranked No. 9 in the final coaches poll of the season. 

State Semifinals

Sun Prairie is headed to the WIAA state championship game for the third consecutive year. 

The Cardinals scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the fifth to earn the 4-0 victory against Chippewa Falls in a state semifinal. 

Sun Prairie collected four of its six hits in the fifth inning. 

The Cardinals offense was led by catcher Chloe Knoernschild, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI. 

Tayler Baker allowed six hits in the shutout win while tallying five strikeouts and walking three. 

Chippewa Falls was led at the plate by right-fielder Olivia Sanborn, who went 2-for-3 in the loss. 

Sun Prairie, which is making its seventh state tournament appearance, will face Kaukauna in the D1 state final. The Cardinals enter the state championship game with a 23-3 record. 

Chippewa Falls finishes its season with a 25-6 record. 

Kaukauna will play in its third state championship game in program history. 

The Galloping Ghosts rolled to an 11-1 win over Burlington in six innings, in a D1 state semifinal. 

Kaukauna tallied 12 hits in the contest. Leadoff hitter and centerfielder Kally Meredith led the attack with three hits. She also scored two runs and drove in another. 

The Galloping Ghosts also got two hits each from shortstop Khloe Hinkens and first-baseman Taryn Christopher. 

Skyler Calmes started in the circle and picked up the win. She pitched five and one-third innings and allowed one unearned run while striking out five and walking one. 

Kaitlyn Van de Hey came on in relief and got the final two outs of the game. She allowed one hit, struck out two, and walked two. 

Kaukauna captured state titles in its previous two trips to the state tournament. The Galloping Ghosts enter the title game with a 26-2 record. 

Burlington finishes the year 26-5 overall. 

State Quarterfinals

Sun Prairie cruised past Beaver Dam, 8-0, in a Division 1 state quarterfinal at Bay Port High School. 

The Cardinals collected 13 hits in the victory. Shortstop Grace Radlund and right-fielder Kiana Patterson each finished with three hits. Patterson also had a team-high two RBIs. 

Additional players with multiple hits in the game were catcher Chloe Knoernschild and centerfielder Isabel Royle. 

Tayler Baker was strong in the circle for Sun Prairie. She allowed just two hits, struck out nine, and walked three in the win. 

Chippewa Falls edged Sussex Hamilton, 4-2, in a Division 1 state quarterfinal at Bay Port High School. 

The Cardinals trailed 1-0 heading into the top of the fifth inning before scoring three runs and adding a run in the sixth to go up 4-1. 

Sussex Hamilton answered with one run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Cardinals closed the game out by setting the Chargers down in the seventh to secure the win. 

Designated hitter Camryn Fjelstad led Chippewa Falls' hitting attack, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. 

In the circle, Hannah Aldrich allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits while striking out three and walking one. 

Sussex Hamilton pitcher Julianne Claas allowed four runs (one earned) on eight hits. She tallied five strikeouts and walked two in the loss. 

Claas also went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Chargers. 

Kaukauna earned a 3-2 comeback win over Wilmot in a Division 1 state quarterfinal on Monday. 

The Galloping Ghosts trailed 2-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before scoring twice to take the lead which they would not relinquish. 

Skyler Calmes earned the win for Kaukauna. She allowed two runs (both earned) on six hits while striking out 11 and walking three. 

Three players tallied two hits for the Galloping Ghosts, led by left-fielder Ava VanAsten, who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored. 

Third-baseman Paige Miller and first-baseman Taryn Christopher also contributed a pair of hits for the Galloping Ghosts. 

Wilmot was led at the plate by designated hitter Kimmy Zender, who went 2-for-3 with both of the Panthers' RBIs. 

Burlington earned a walk-off victory against Cedarburg in a D1 state quarterfinal on Monday. 

The Demons' game-winning run was scored by catcher Meagan Baumeister on a throwing error to lift them to a 4-3 win. 

Burlington scored three runs through the first three innings and that 3-0 lead held until Cedarburg's Paytn Monticelli belted a 3-run home run in the top of the sixth inning. 

Burlington pitcher Morgan Klein earned the win. She allowed three runs (all earned) on five hits while striking out 10 and walking one. 

Monticelli had a strong pitching performer for the Bulldogs as well, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits. She finished 10 strikeouts and issued two walks. 

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