Janesville Craig strikes first in regional championship, but Oregon rallies to eliminate Cougars

Janesville Craig saw its softball season come to an end Thursday in a Division 1 regional championship game at Oregon.

The Cougars opened the scoring in the game with a pair of RBI singles off Panthers ace Lauryn Etienne, but Oregon had five extra-base hits among its nine total to come from behind and win 5-2.

Etienne also settled in nicely in the circle after allowing Craig’s two runs and racked up a total of 14 strikeouts.

Emily Kleinheinz reached base for the Cougars in the top of the second on an error with one out. She made it to second on a groundout, and Ella Loveland came up with two outs and smashed a ground ball back up the middle for an RBI hit.

Loveland stole second and then reached third on a passed ball, and Mya Eichelt got an infield hit to score Craig’s second run.

While Oregon didn’t respond immediately in the bottom of the second, the Panthers scored in every other remaining inning to go up 4-2 through five complete and 5-2 through six.

The Cougars brought the tying and/or winning runs to the plate in each of the final two innings but in both instances, Etienne was able to come up with a clutch strikeout.

Brynn Sikich and Kleinheinz had a hit apiece in the sixth in between the first two outs of the inning before Bailey Bienema’s swinging strikeout.

Then in the seventh, Abbie Claas and Alex Hanson had back-to-back two-out singles to bring up Ava Schaffner. She fought off one two-strike pitch but also went down swinging to end the game.

“This is a special group of kids, and even though their season is over, all of the things that came with it aren’t,” Craig coach Kristen Worm said. “They learned life skills and made memories and friendships that will go on.

“Our seniors (Bienema, Loveland, Bella Vitaioli, Paige Pryne, Eichelt) really led the way this year ... Their effect on their teammates and our program will continue to be felt moving forward.”

OREGON 5, JANESVILLE CRAIG 2

Craig 020 000 0 — 2 7 2

Oregon 001 211 X — 5 9 2

Leading hitters — Monte (O) 3x4. 2B — Monte (O), Bastian (O), Rudy (O), Simpson (O). 3B — Cook (O).

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) — JC: Bienema L, 4 1/3-6-4-3-0-6; Schieve 1 2/3-3-1-1-0-0. O: Etienne W, 7-7-2-0-1-14.