Softball: Medford beats Mosinee to earn Great Northern Conference title

With the seedings for the upcoming WIAA softball playoffs announced over the weekend, one aspect of Monday's Great Northern Conference showdown between Mosinee and Medford was taken off the table. However, a league championship was on the line. For the second time this season it was Medford coming away with the win as the Raiders clinch the GNC title with a 5-1 win in Mosinee. Mosinee came in ranked #1 in the state in this week's MaxPreps.com state poll with Medford number 3.

The game started as a pitcher's duel between Medford's Rylee Hraby and Mosinee's Ava Busse. It was scoreless with two out in the bottom of the 3rd inning when Taelyn Jirschele drove a pitch over the wall in center field to give Mosinee a 1-0 lead. It would stay that way until the top of the 5th when Medford would score all 5 of their runs with two out. With runners on the corners, Ruthie Steinman would single to tie the game at 1.

At this point Mosinee replaced starting pitcher Busse with Allyson Timm. After a single by Rylan Kraschnewski loaded the bases, Addison Brahmer would lace a two-run double that would give the Raiders the lead at 3-1. Finley Arndt and Rylee Hraby would also add RBI singles before the inning ended with Medford up 5-1.

Mosinee had one final shot in the bottom of the 7th when they loaded the bases with two out. Megan Treu, who had two hits in the game, popped up 2nd base and the runner at third failed to tag up and was double up to end the game.

Hraby got the win in the circle for Medford, allowing 1 run on 6 hits with 4 walks and 12 strikeouts in the complete game. Busse pitched well for Mosinee, returning after being lifted for four batters in the 5th, and went 7 innings while allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with no walks and 6 strikeouts. Taelyn Jirschele had three of the Mosinee hits, including the home run. Medford, who lost their first game of the season on Saturday to SPASH 9-8, improved to 21-1 overall. Mosinee is now 17-4.

The teams are in the same Division 2 regional bracket with Medford a 1 seed and Mosinee a 2. Should both teams win their first two playoff games that would meet for a third time in a sectional semifinal in early June.