The 2022 WIAA Division 1 state softball champion Kaukauna Galloping Ghosts. Photo courtesy WIAA

MADISON — The Kaukauna Ghosts’ softball team completed an undefeated season Saturday with a dominating 11-3 win over Sun Prairie to claim its second state title in a row.

The Ghosts faced Sun Prairie in the WIAA Division 1 championship game for the second year in a row, however after last year’s tight 1-0 win, Kaukauna was overpowering this year.

(INNING-BY-INNING UPDATES)

After starting pitcher Skyler Calmes pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, the Ghosts went on to score 4, including a Haylie Wittman home run in the bottom of the inning to take a quick 4-0 lead over Sun Prairie.

Kaukauna added three more runs in the second, including an in-the-park homer by Karly Meredith.

Kaukauna’s offense heated back up on the third, scoring four runs and pushing the lead to 11-0.

The no-hitter lasted until the bottom of the sixth when Sun Prairie finally got on the board and scored two on a base hit.

Sun Prairie scored one more in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Galloping Ghosts from claiming its second title in a row.

BOX SCORE AND STATS

The Galloping Ghosts captured the gold trophy in each of its previous state appearances including 2010, 2017 and 2021.

The team includes:

00 Carly VerVoort, Senior Outfielder
1 Karly Meredith, Freshman Pitcher/2nd Base
3 Haylie Wittman, Senior Short stop (UW-Oshkosh Commit)
9 Skyler Calmes, Senior Pitcher (Winona State Commit)
12 Paige Miller, Junior 3rd Base ( Ohio State Verbal Commit for Volleyball)
14 Madisen Gries, Senior outfielder
16 Ava VanAsten, Senior Left Fielder (Bryant & Stratton College Commit)
17 Kally Meredith, Junior Center Fielder ( Florida International University Verbal Commit)
19 Chloe Hertzfeldt, Freshman 2nd Base
20 Addison Race, Senior (St. Norbert College Commit)
22 Taryn Christopher, Sophomore First Base
23 Keanna Jansen, Senior Outfielder
26 Anna LaCount, Senior Catcher (Minot State University Commit)
27 Ava Bloch, Junior Catcher
29 Karlee DeGroot IF 10
30 Makenna DeValk, Senior Catcher
31 Hailie Peters, Junior Outfielder
35 Summer Schmidt, Freshman outfielder
36 Lilly Roehrig, Junior Designated Hitter

The team is coached by Tim Roehrig with assistant coaches Bill Huss, Mark Hertzfeldt and Steve Meredith.

Division 1

Division 1 Quarterfinals – Thursday, June 9
Game 1 –  #2 Sun Prairie (28-1)  5, #7 Milton (22-9)  0 – Stats
Game 2 –  #3 Oak Creek (22-3)  4, #6 Hamilton (19-7)  2 – Stats
Game 3 –  #1 Kaukauna (29-0)  7, #8 Oshkosh West (19-12)  1 – Stats
Game 4 –  #5 Superior (19-2)  10, #4 Cedarburg (24-5)  0 (5) – Stats

Division 1 Semifinals – Friday, June 10
Game 5 – Sun Prairie (29-1) 4, Oak Creek (22-4) 3 – Stats
Game 6 – Kaukauna (30-0) 10, Superior (19-3) β€“ 0 (5) – Stats

Division 1 Championship
Game 7 – Sun Prairie (29-2) 3 vs. Kaukauna (31-0) 11

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By Dan Plutchak

Dan Plutchak, born and raised in Kaukauna, is cofounder of Kaukauna Community News.