Ashlyn VanDenHeuvel (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

LAONA, Wis. — The Florence girls broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the fourth and then added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings to defeat host Laona-Wabeno 5-2 in a key Northern Lakes Conference tussle on Monday.

The victory leaves the LadyCats in the running for a league title, to be determined by Tuesday’s scheduled doubleheader between L-W and Three Lakes. If L-W wins one game, Florence will gain a share of the NLC title.

“What a huge game for the girls,” Florence coach Daniel Robinson said after his team’s victory. “They played outstanding as a team. The girls are proving every game that they’re getting stronger.”

In the victory over the Rebels, Florence recorded 11 hits. Ashley Peterson, Ashlyn VanDenHeuvel and Miley VanDenHeuvel led the way with two hits each. Ashlyn singled twice, while Miley and Peterson doubled and singled.

Sami Demuri and Quinn Cassidy also doubled in the win. Allison Wood, Audrey Franz and Aurora McCarthy provided a single each.

Wood went the distance for Florence, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out seven.

“Allison pitched her regular great game,” Robinson said.

BADGERS 15,

NORDICS 0

BADGERS 11,

NORDICS 1

The Niagara Lady Badgers showed they are ready for the postseason with a pair of wins over visiting North Dickinson on Monday in Niagara.

The Badgers jumped on ND early in the first game, scoring six times in the first. They added two more in the second, four in the third and three more in the fourth to score the 15-0 four-inning victory.

In the finale, Niagara put up three runs in the bottom of the first and then closed the door on the Nordics with two in the fourth, four in the fifth and two in the sixth to post an 11-1 six-inning win.

In the opener, Paige Guardiola drove home three runs, Lexi Johnston, Mallory Sanicki and Alyvia Kleikamp recorded two RBIs each and Elesia Sweig and Grace Payette added another in the Badgers’ victory.

Zowie Loukus and Rachael Walker roped a double each, while Sweig and Sanicki each stole two bases.

Sweig pitched four innings of shutout ball, allowing one hits and striking out five.

“This was a complete game for our squad in all three phases,” Niagara coach Joe Champeau said. “We hit the ball well, pitched well and only had one error.”

In the second game, Shelby Zittlow smacked a two-run homer to highlight Niagara’s victory.

“Very happy for Shelby, she’s been close all year and finally got one,” Champeau said. “As coaches we kept telling her to keep putting the bat on the ball and it’s going to happen when you least expect it to happen and that’s exactly how it happened.”

Bristol Sanicki drove home two runs as well, with Walker, Kleikamp, Mallory Sanicki and Peyton Neuens-Allred adding one apiece.

Guardiola added a triple and two runs scored while Kleikamp tripled as well. Walker recorded a double and two runs scored.

Guardiola pitched all six innings, surrendering one run and six hits. She walked one and fanned three.

“Another solid game in all three phases,” Champeau said. “Offensively we had 14 hits, no errors and gave up one earned run. We hit the ball really well and had a lot of traffic on the base path.”

Lauren Jungwirth led the Nordics with a double, a single and a run scored.

“It was nice to see our team put together two complete games as regional play starts next Tuesday for us,” Champeau said of his team’s matchup against Lena-St. Thomas Aquinas Academy in the WIAA Division 5 Regionals on May 27 in Niagara. “Having momentum going into regionals is what we wanted, and the girls achieved it.”