The Florence LadyCats broke open a tight game with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Northern Lakes Conference-leading Three Lakes 11-6 on Friday at Florence High School.

Sami DeMuri ripped two triples and a single to pace Florence offensively. Miley VanDenHeuvel smacked two doubles, while Allison Wood, Aurora McCarthy and Quinn Cassidy registered two singles each.

“This game was a big one for us,” Florence coach Daniel Robinson said. “We had a solid game pitching by Allison Wood and defensively we made some big plays. All the girls came to play.”

Wood mowed down 13 Three Lakes hitters via strikeout. She surrendered eight hits and walked four in her complete-game performance.

The Bluejays scored two in the top of the first, but the LadyCats responded with three in the bottom half. Three Lakes tied the game in the fourth, but once again Florence had an answer, putting up two to retake the lead.

The Bluejays crept within one in the fifth before the LadyCats pulled away for good in the sixth.

BADGERS 7,

RANGERS 1

As the WIAA Division 5 softball regionals sit about 10 days away, the Niagara Lady Badgers are in a timely upswing.

Their latest performance came Friday night in Wausaukee, where Niagara handled the Rangers 7-1.

“Overall, the ladies had a great night in all three phases of the game,” Niagara coach Joe Champeau said. “We are starting to play some really (good) softball at the right time as regionals are around the corner.”

Paige Guardiola finished a home run short of the cycle as she recorded a single, double and triple and knocked in four runs for Niagara. Elesia Sweig, Bristol Sanicki and Shelby Zittlow produced two hits each, while Rachael Walker, Zowie Loukus and Peyton Neuens-Allred chipped in with a hit a piece as the Badgers recorded 12 hits in the win.

“We put the bat on the ball very well throughout the night, Champeau said. “We came up with hits at crucial times to build a comfortable lead throughout the game.”

Sweig got the start in the circle for Niagara and pitched five innings of one-hit, shutout ball. Guardiola relieved in the sixth and worked the final two innings with two hits allowed and no earned runs.