Radtke strikes out 14, collects key hit as Appleton North softball tops Appleton East
By Dustin Riese
For AppletonSportsPage.com
APPLETON — In a make-up game from last Thursday’s rainout, the Appleton East Patriots traveled to cross-town rival Appleton North for a Fox Valley Association softball battle.
Behind a complete-game effort from starting pitcher Charlotte Radtke, the Lightning grabbed the lead early and took care of business with an impressive 4-1 win.
“I was really happy with the team’s effort today,” Appleton North coach Chris Nissen said. “Obviously, Charlotte pitched a great game, but our defense made all the plays behind her that we needed to. I was especially impressed as we came off a weekend where we did not have our best effort. I thought we had great energy in the dugout. We are a very young team, but the girls have really come together to play for each other.”
Radtke was about as dialed in as you can be. The right-hander went the distance, allowing one run on five hits and striking out 14, including eight strikeouts in the first three innings. Radtke also played a role with the bat, connecting for a two-run single in the third to put the Lightning in front 3-0.
Despite Radtke striking out the side in the first, the Patriots also had a great scoring opportunity as a pair of two-out singles from Aubrie Erickson and Torie Neubauer set the offense up, only to come away empty.
The same can’t be said for the Lightning, as Valerie Baranczyk picked up a leadoff walk ahead of a Maggie Hendrick single to put a pair of runners on with no outs. Looking to come through and open the scoring, Alyssa Wald delivered with a sacrifice fly that gave the Lightning an early 1-0 as they would never look back.
The Lightning (6-9, 4-5 FVA) continued to keep the pressure on in the second with Radtke connecting for a one-out double ahead of a Brianna Gehrman walk to put a pair of runners on base for the second time in as many innings. This time, it was East pitcher Kat Swick finding a way to wiggle out of trouble. She retired the next two hitters to keep the Lightning off the board, and the score remained 1–0.
“I thought the team competed very well,” Appleton East coach Courtney Watkins said. “The pitching between Kat Swick and Emma Jacobs kept us in the game. Offensively, we had a few opportunities to get into our small ball phase but unfortunately, just did execute that part of our game.”
With Radtke continuing to dominate on the mound, it was getting to the point where runs would be at a premium, and with the Lightning loading the bases with one out in the third, this was the turning point in the game.
Needing to make come away with another magic act to keep the Lightning off the board, it was Radtke who had another idea as she picked up her second hit in as many at-bats with a single, leading to a pair of runners scoring to push the lead to 3-0.
“Charlotte has pitched well for us all season and tonight was no different,” Nissen said. “I would love to see her throw fewer pitches, but that will come with experience and as she gets to know the hitters a little better in the league. Charlotte has been hitting well, while her average may not show it. She has made great contact all year and just hasn’t found the holes, but tonight she was able to find the holes in the defense when we really needed it.”
Radtke’s impressive performance did not elude East coach Watkins.
“Charlotte has all the tools to be the top pitcher in the FVA no doubt,” Watkins added. “She was definitely on, especially having a good defense behind her. What makes her tough is the raised ball. She sticks to her strengths and if you don’t adjust it’s going to be a long night against her. The approach versus that is tough, you have to hunt the mistake pitch and if you don’t get that, just need to dig in and compete your tail off.”
Like in the first, the top of the order had some success against Radtke as Erickson led off the fourth with her second hit. Still standing on first with two outs, Allisyn Briggs kept the inning alive as a single put runners on the corners. Three pitches later, and the shutout was over as Erickson raced home on a passed ball to get East on the board and make it 3-1.
That would be the final run of the day for the Patriots (2-10, 2-8 FVA) as they had just two baserunners the rest of the way.
The Lightning had their share of opportunities, with the fifth inning marking another one of those. Following a one-out double from Callie Weber, a costly error put runners on the corners as the Lightning had a chance to break the game open.
Credit Appleton East reliever Emma Jacobs for limiting the damage, but North did manage to score its fourth and final run of the game on a wild pitch to take a 4-1 lead.
“I thought the girls had really great approaches at the plate, we knew their pitcher was trying to hit spots and move locations,” Nissen said. “The girls showed great patience and barreled up a lot of balls with minimal results in the first couple innings. The girls stayed the course stuck with the plan and were able to knock in a couple runs in the fourth. We didn’t adjust as well to their second pitcher, who had a little more velocity and is what we prefer to hit against. All in all, a very good win for us.”
Both teams will play FVA games at home on Tuesday as North hosts Fond du Lac and East battles Oshkosh West.
Lightning 4, Patriots 1
Appleton East 000 100 0 – 1 5 3
Appleton North 102 010 x – 4 5 1
WP: Charlotte Radtke, LP: Kat Swick.
SO: Swick (3 inn.) 2, Emma Jacobs (3 inn.) 6; Radtke 14. BB: Swick 4, Jacobs 0.
Top hitters: AE, Aubrie Erickson 2×3, run. AN, Callie Weber 2B, 2 runs; Radtke 2×3, 2B, 2 RBI.
Records: Appleton East 2-10, 2-8 Fox Valley Association; Appleton North 6-9, 4-5 Fox Valley Association.