Softball playoffs: Holmen-DeForest meet again

Teams have met each of past two seasons and split.

Two wins and the Holmen High School softball team will punch its ticket to the state tournament.

It won’t be easy, however. The second-seeded Vikings (21-6) hit the road to take on top-seeded DeForest at 5 p.m. tonight in the Division 1 section semifinals.

It’s the very same matchup as last season when the Vikings won 10-9 – getting two runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Vikings lost to Verona 3-0 to get to state.

Two years ago, in the regional final, it was DeForest (21-5) that came away the winner over Holmen, 5-3.

Not much has changed in the circle for either team. DeForest’s Kennedy Wittman and Holmen’s Kylee Schams are both three-year starters.

Schams has pitched all but six innings this season. She was perfect in Holmen’s 4-0 playoff-opening win against 14th seeded Madison East (9-14) – a team DeForest lost to 3-1 midseason.

“It’s reassuring to go into a game – she’s a four-year starter – to know, most likely, we’re going to be in the game and she’s going to keep us in the game,” Holmen coach Roger Foegen said. “It’s just a matter of being able to scratch out enough runs.”

Holmen comes into the matchup having won its last 10 games, while DeForest is just 5-3 in its last eight.

OTHER SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS
Today, 5 pm
Division 1
#4 Central at #1 Sun Prairie

Division 2
#2 Onalaska at #1 Baldwin-Woodville

Division 3
#2 Arcadia at #1 Aquinas

Division 4
#2 Luther at #1 CFC

Division 5
#2 Blair-Taylor at #1 Assumption
#4 Cashton at #2 Bangor