WIAA State Softball: Parker's sacrifice fly guides Bradford to state title game against Milton (2024)

MIKE RAMCZYK

The Wisconsin high school softball world was shocked Friday night when Milton beat Kaukauna at the state tournament in Madison, 5-3, in a game that ended after 11 p.m.

The Galloping Ghosts’ 108-game win streak — an all-time mark across all high school sports in WIAA history and four wins shy of tying the national record set by Vandebilt Catholic (Houma, La.) in 1980-83 — is suddenly over.

And the Bradford High School softball team can possibly breathe a sigh of relief.

A couple hours before the end of Milton-Kaukauna, Bradford demonstrated its pitching talent with Brooklynn Danielson and Aubrey Strelow in a 1-0 victory over Watertown in a WIAA Division 1 state semifinal at the Goodman Softball Complex at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A lights out pitching performance by the Red Devils (27-3) meant a single run would suffice. Bradford junior catcher Angela Parker’s sacrifice fly in the third inning with the bases loaded proved to be the game’s lone run — but it was enough.

Now, instead of Kaukauna, a team that beat the Red Devils 8-0 earlier this season and dominated the rest of the state for three-plus years, Bradford gets a team it hasn’t played this season.

After the Red Devils had their lead, no rally was sustained for any kind of length from Watertown. The Goslings had a couple runners reach second base, and one get to third early in the game, but Bradford always found a way to shut them down.

Danielson was ready for the moment, tossing five innings of three-hit softball, along with four strikeouts and one walk. Strelow relieved Danielson in the sixth and proceeded to strike out three and walk nobody.

“Those two are just off-the-charts good,” Bradford head coach John Ruffolo said about his pitching duo. “When you look at Watertown’s offense, they’ve been averaging six or seven runs a game. You have to start with pitching to get to this level.”

Bradford avenged a 4-3 loss in eight innings to Watertown just a few weeks ago.

The Red Devils punched their ticket for an historic Saturday night, when they’ll battle Milton in the Division 1 state championship.

“We have played well in tough defensive spots all season,” Bradford head coach John Ruffolo said. “Our pitchers can really lock down hitters, and that’s where the defense starts. Tonight we executed some small ball and got the run we needed. Angela’s sac fly to center field is a grand slam in pretty much any other field. She tagged that ball.

“I’m surprised Angela’s hit didn’t go out, and it was a big sacrifice fly. We haven’t really been a banging team all year. We’re trying to scratch out runs, that’s just the nature of our offense, executing runs.”

Ruffolo added that Madi Strelow came through big time with a single, and Kyli Lanhardt’s clutch slap bunt helped ignite the game-winning third inning. After Aubrey Strelow reached on a fielder’s choice and moved her sister Madi to third, Parker came through with the biggest connection of the game, a sac fly that sent Bradford to the state championship game.

Lauren Jeanblanc added a base hit.

“Milton is a team that we’ve never faced,” Ruffolo said. “They’re obviously playing at the top of their game right now, and their confidence has to be high after beating Kaukauna. We’re looking forward to the matchup.

“I’m excited for these kids. They’ve earned it.”

Milton put up a three-run seventh inning to shock Kaukauna Friday night and move on to Saturday’s state title game.

Red Hawk pitcher Gwen Baker is another one of the state’s best, and she put together a strong performance, scattering eight hits and striking out three with three earned runs in the victory.

Jenna Benash (1-4, 2 RBI) came through with the clutch two-run single in the decisive seventh to give Milton the lead. Milton also benefitted from small ball and an error that produced the fifth run.