A nine and a half hour rain delay on day one couldn't douse the fire of the Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) softball team's bats or the hot arm of Panther's pitcher Alexis Mains, as the team won the WIAA Division 1 state championship game on Wednesday, June 6.
The team beat Eau Claire Memorial, 4-2, and La Crosse Central, 7-0, on Tuesday night, June 5 and beat Verona Area, 8-0 to win the championship on Wednesday, June 6. This is the second straight year the SPASH softball team has made it to the championship game.
Last year it lost 1-0 to Appleton East in the final. Mains went the distance in all three games and struck out 22 batters while giving up 10 hits, one earned run and three walks. She also chipped in with three hits and two RBI.
Third baseman Dana Jacquin led the Panthers from the plate with four hits and 2 RBI.
The rain delay also had little effect on the loud contingent of friends and family members that came to lend their support. "I was very impressed with the way the girls handled the extra pressure of the rain delay," Todd Boaz, brother of Panther's catcher Rachel Boaz said.
Some even thought that the rain delay helped the team out. "They were anxious to get started after sitting around all day and I think that helped them get off to a good start," Tom Schultz, father of pinch hitter Amanda Schultz, said.