Hanson, Sikich deliver key hits, Schieve escapes tricky inning to preserve Janesville Craig victory over Madison West

Alex Hanson hit a go-ahead two-run single and subsequently scored on a wild pitch in a four-run third inning in Janesville Craig’s 8-7 Big Eight softball win over Madison West on Wednesday at the Janesville Youth Sports Complex.

Brynn Sikich pounded a three-run homer to center in the fourth to put the Cougars up 8-3. Maddy Schieve came on in relief and defused a Regents rally in the sixth to keep her team in front and threw a three-up, three-down seventh to pick up a save.

The win was Craig’s ninth in a row (though the Cougars were trailing 9-0 against Verona last Thursday before the game was suspended by rain).

“Tonight wasn’t our sharpest game of the season, but we were fortunate to come away with the win,” Cougars coach Kristen Worm said.

Bailey Bienema started the game in the circle for Craig and found her groove after giving up three runs in the second, posting zeros in the third and fourth as her team took the lead.

She got in on the offensive action, as well, going 2 for 3 and driving in two runs.

But after allowing back-to-back one-out singles in the sixth, she yielded to Schieve, who got a groundout for out No. 2 of the inning.

But Schieve hit consecutive batters, the second of which with the bases loaded, and an error behind her allowed two Regents to score, cutting Craig’s lead to 8-7. With the tying run at third, Schieve produced a ground ball out to get out of the inning before sitting the Regents down in order in the top of the seventh.

“We need to clean up a few things before the tough teams we see next week, but I’m proud of them for getting the job done,” Worm said.

Craig has a conference road game at 4:30 p.m. Friday against Madison East/La Follette.

JANESVILLE CRAIG 8, MADISON WEST 7

West 030 013 0 — 7 12 2

Craig 014 300 X — 8 10 2

Leading hitters — Taft (MW) 3x4, Smith (MW) 2x3, Munstertieger (MW) 2x4, Thomas (MW) 2x4, Bienema (JC) 2x3, Hanson (JC) 2x3. 2B — Dettman (MW), Taft (MW). HR — Sikich (JC).

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) — MW: Wing-Gutierrez L, 4-10-8-8-4-2; Baldon 2-0-0-0-1-2. JC: Bienema W, 5 1/3-12-6-5-0-3; Schieve 1 2/3-0-1-0-0-1.