New London ties state tournament record for hits, routs New Berlin Eisenhower in WIAA Division 2 softball semifinal

MADISON - The New London softball team was a little miffed it was given the No. 4 seed in the WIAA Division 2 state tournament, and the Bulldogs didn’t wait long to do something about it.

New London scored eight runs in the top of the first inning Friday and cruised to a 16-6 victory in six innings over No. 1 seed New Berlin Eisenhower in a semifinal game at Goodman Diamond.

The Bulldogs (19-6) will play Freedom in Saturday’s 4 p.m. championship game. The Irish advanced with a 2-1 win over Beloit Turner.

“They came out with definitely something to prove,” New London co-coach Melinda Hull said. “We played tough teams all year long and these girls came out and they knew they wanted to prove something, and they wanted to show that they could hang with anybody.”

New London had six hits in the eight-run first inning and finished the game with 17 hits, which tied the Division 2 state tournament record for hits in a game.

“This is what we do. We’re going to go out and we’re going to hit. And that’s what we did,” said Shelby Glodowski, who hit a two-run double in the first inning to give New London a 2-0 lead.

Glodowski and Mackenzie Bruette both went 4-for-5 for New London. Bruette drove in four runs and Glodowski had three RBIs.

Jensen Mix added three hits, Sommer Krull had two hits and three RBIs, Brooklyn Fuerst had two hits and two RBIs, and Eve Hedtke had two hits.

“That was huge,” Hull said of the eight-run first inning. “They had a great pitcher and we came out, we knew what she was going to throw, we knew how she was going to throw, and the girls listened to me and we said put it in play and good things will happen. That’s what they did. They came out waiting for their pitch and they drove them.”

Kenna Mix pitched a complete game for New London. She allowed eight hits, five earned runs, walked two and struck out eight in six innings.

New London, which lost to Freedom 11-10 in last year’s state semifinals, is seeking its second state title in its eighth trip to state. The Bulldogs won the title in 2013 and finished second in 2005 and 2014.

Shortly after the victory, before learning who their title game opponent would be, Glodowski made it clear who she was hoping to face.

“I’m kind of rooting for Freedom here so we can have a rematch,” she said.

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And about getting that No. 4 seed?

“We’re just going to go out and play our best every single game,” Glodowski said. “Doesn’t matter what (seed) we got.”

Hull said she had a good feeling all week that New London would come out strong.

“We came in the No. 4 seed and we said at the seeding meeting anybody can take this game. Doesn’t matter what seed. We’re all great teams. And that’s what these girls did,” Hull said. “They came out, they knew they had to come out on fire and they did just that.”