Game on
MADISON – For the first time since 2005, the Logan High School softball team is at state.
The Rangers (26-1) open the WIAA Division 2 state tournament around 5:15 p.m. today against New London (25-5) at Goodman Diamond in Madison, Wis. Turner (27-2) and Waupun (26-4) start the tourney at 3 p.m. The winners will play for the championship at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Logan has been the top-ranked team all season, and beat the defending state champs, Mosinee, 2-1 to get to this point, but its opponent is in familiar territory.
New London won state two seasons ago and finished runners-up last year – losing 2-0 in the championship.
“Hopefully we’ve prepared ourselves through the competition we’ve had throughout the year,” Logan coach Matt Marohl said. “But, any time you go into a big event like that, there’s going to be some extra jitters. Hopefully by the time warmups are done, those are gone.”
But, the fact is the Rangers, who average over eight runs per game, already beat the champs and in dramatic fashion. Pitcher Jordyn Kleman struck out the final two batters to end the contest in the section semifinals.
“She’s used to the pressure of the big stage and actually thrives on it,” Marohl said of his junior pitcher, “so I don’t look for that to be any problem with her.”
The only loss for the Rangers this season came 1-0 to Stevens Point in early May. So, that pressure of an undefeated season is gone, but, now that Logan is in the state tournament, Marohl sort of wishes they were going in undefeated.
“In the end, I guess I would have taken the victory over the loss,” Marohl said with a bit of a chuckle. “But we learned a lot of things, so whatever comes from that through the course of the year, the ultimate goal is to reach the state tournament and to win the state tournament. If it means you have to lose a close game to learn some things, I’ll certainly take a loss at that point, than one during the playoffs.”
Marohl went on to talk about what the Bulldogs bring to the table.
“They’re balanced,” he said. “They’re a good offensive team. Very solid defensively. Their pitcher, I wouldn’t say is overpowering by any means, but she does a nice job locating and limiting her walks, so hopefully we can manufacture some runs against her.”