Benton, Williamsburg battle to a Wamac softball doubleheader draw

VAN HORNE — They’re not panicking. They’re not even worried.

“We’ll be hot at the end of the season,” Williamsburg’s Alley Gorsh said. “That’s all that matters.”

History would tend to agree.

Williamsburg’s state-semifinal team of 2021? It fought through a five-game losing streak in early June.

The Raiders’ state-title squad from last season? It dropped six of its last 10 regular-season games.

So when the Class 3A top-ranked Raiders lost their first game of Wednesday’s Wamac Conference doubleheader to 3A No. 5 Benton Community — their third consecutive setback after a 5-0 start — it was met more with shrugs than shudders.

Williamsburg leaned on Gorsh in the circle, and a 14-hit attack certainly helped, in a 10-6 bounce-back win at Zittergruen Field.

“I had to focus on my pitching, because I knew with this team, the hitting was going to come,” Gorsh said. “I had to do my job.”

Benton proved itself as Williamsburg’s equal, rolling in the opener, 7-3.

Both teams left as they arrived — tied atop the West Division.

“We’ve got to clean up our defense,” Benton Coach Jordon Rettenmeier said. “We worked out of it most of the time in the first game. In the second game, they took advantage.”

Benton (6-1, 5-1 Wamac) scored seven straight runs in the first contest after spotting the Raiders (6-3, 5-1) a tally in the top of the first inning.

Calista Nolte was in the middle of most of the Bobcats’ offensive rallies. She reached base in all four of her plate appearances and drove in three runs.

Williamsburg led throughout the nightcap, and flirted with ending the game early via the 10-run rule. The Raiders enjoyed a 10-1 lead through 4 1/2 innings before Benton slugged its way closer.

Ana Glawe hit two solo home runs late, and Layna DeMoss added a two-run shot.

Before that, though, Gorsh held her own.

“I was feeling pretty good ... my curveball and my change,” Gorsh said. “The changeup is my pitch.”

Williamsburg has reached four consecutive state tournaments. The Raiders finished second, third and third (2020-22) before winning it all last summer.

Benton qualified last year.

“If we play defense behind our pitching, we can be a top team,” Rettenmeier said. “Our bats are there. We just have to play that defense.”

Benton Community 7-6, Williamsburg 3-10

At Van Horne

Game 1

Williamsburg 100 000 2 — 3 5 1

Benton Community 003 031 x — 7 10 4

Jersey Metz, Sloane Curtin (5) and Ashlynn Fuhrman. Jessa DeMoss and Ana Glawe. W — DeMoss (4-0). L — Metz (3-3).

Game 2

Williamsburg 133 210 0 — 10 14 1

Benton Community 100 013 1 — 6 10 2

Alley Gorsh, Sloane Curtin (6), Jersey Metz (7) and Ashlynn Fuhrman. Paige Meyer, Ellie Williamson (3), Brynnlee Seeck (5), Jessa DeMoss (7) and Ana Glawe. W — Gorsh (2-0). L — Meyer (1-1). HR — BC: Glawe 2 (4), Layna DeMoss (1).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com