I’ve thought about moving ….

I’ve thought about moving her up, but we’ve kept her in that nine spot because she keeps getting hits there and with girls like Kiana and Leah getting on base ahead of her, it’s given her chances to drive in those runs.” Gumz singled and Tahlia Scheithauer did as well to load them for Niemi, another RBI force for Rib Lake late in the year, who singled to end it.

Kennedy scored three runs and drove in four while going three for three. Niemi was three for four with three RBIs. Gumz was two for four out of the leadoff spot with three runs scored and an RBI. Dallmann was two for three with two runs scored and an RBI.

Josie Scheithauer struck out nine, walked three and allowed just the RBI double in the fourth. Rib Lake did not commit an error, something the team hopes to carry into Athens, where it lost 12-0 and 16-5 in that April twinbill.

“We responded in the second game,” coach Scheithauer said. “We didn’t do enough to win. We had the lead early in the game, so we know we can play with them. We can’t give them seven outs or seven runs in an inning. I think we’ll hit the ball better this time than we did the last time against them. I like our chances with the way we’re playing and hitting the ball now.”

Today’s winner advances to a sectional semifinal Tuesday against either fourth-seeded Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran or top-seeded McDonell Central. The higher seed will host. The sectional final is in Athens on June 1 with a 5 p.m. start.

Before Tuesday, Rib Lake’s last WIAA win was a 10-7 first-round win at Loyal on May 22, 2018.