DeForest lost to Waunakee back in May of 2023, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Thursday. The DeForest Norskies sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-2 win over the Waunakee Warriors.
Payton Steffen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't pitched less than six innings in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, DeForest's victory was truly a team effort as six different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Reagan Smith, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Brianna Rusch was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
DeForest's win bumped their record up to 5-8. As for Waunakee, they are on an eight-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 1-9.
DeForest will look to defend their home field on Friday against Oregon at 5:00 p.m. Oregon's pitching crew has only allowed 2.7 runs per game this season, so DeForest's hitters will have their work cut out for them. As for Waunakee, they will head out on the road to take on Fort Atkinson at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Fort Atkinson is coming into the matchup with four straight losses at home, meaning Waunakee will have to defend against a team hungry for a victory.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
