Stevens Point moves step closer to another title

S tevens Point’s magic number is two.

The Panthers softball team scored a 6-0 victory over Sun Prairie on Thursday in a WIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal to improve to 23-4 and move two victories from becoming the first program in history to win 10 WIAA state softball titles.

The defending champions received a strong outing from junior pitcher Andrea Cherney, who allowed four hits and struck out four. She also went 3 for 3 and drove in a run.

Stevens Point will face Kaukauna in a Division 1 semifinal at 9 p.m. Friday.

Point set the tone with a three- run first inning that came with the help of just one hit.

Sun Prairie, which made its first state appearance since 2013, got two hits from junior Schyler Ek and finished 23-4.

Kaukauna 2, Oshkosh North 0: In a showdown of Fox Valley Association rivals, the Galloping Ghosts (27-2) knocked off the top-ranked team in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Coaches Association Division 1 state poll in a matchup of the state’s top two ranked teams. Kaukauna had lost by scores of 1-0 and 5-0 in conference play to the Spartans, who finished 25-5-ever.

Rachel Ashauer brought home the game’s only runs with a two-run triple in the fourth for Kaukauna. DIVISION 5

Chippewa Falls McDonell 5, Belmont 4: In the first-ever tournament game for the division, McDonell (21-4) scored four times in the fourth inning and then withstood a Belmont rally to advance. Liz Rietschel drove in two runs for the Macks.

Blair-Taylor 11, Wausaukee 0: Freshman Lauren Stein struck out seven and went 3 for 4 with four RBI to help the Wildcats (24-3) advance. DIVISION 4

Juda/Albany, Phillips: This game ended after the deadline for this edition. Check jsonline.com for highlights and stats.