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The crack of the bat set off the first set of cheers. The momentary silence that followed hung in the air like the pitch that had just been turned the other way into left field. After landing safely beyond the fielder’s glove and bouncing off the wall, the ball incited a second set of cheers as the crowd of travelling Ladycat supporters celebrated what seemed like had been three years in the making. After finishing the past several seasons in the state semifinals, the Ladycats felt compelled to make things happen this year. The players who banded together each battled their own individual adversity to combine their efforts and accomplish their goal. With the weight of the world on their shoulders, the Weimar Ladycats delivered their sixth state title victory in the program’s history.
“Three times’ the charm” was the rally cry near the end of the season as the Ladycats attempted to avenge their state semifinal losses in their two prior seasons that immediately followed the postseason that never was due to Covid-19 in 2020. Ironically, after successfully reaching the top of the mountain on their third try in the year 2023, the number ‘3’ has a significant meaning in Weimar softball history. The Ladycats have owned years that end in three this millennium. After winning the state title in 2003, 2013 and now in 2023, the Weimar Ladycats have won every year that ends with the magic number that helped them find an extra gear of focus throughout the playoffs. The road to the gold came with many obstacles including facing off against the team that ended Weimar’s postseason run last year. Despite the hurdles Weimar needed to cross, they locked in for two tight victories: first against the Crawford Lady Pirates, and then against the Como- Pickton Lady Eagles. The Ladycats closed the curtain on the 2023 2A softball season with a clutch, walk off single provided by Tournament MVP Paige Pavlu.
State Semifinals Vs Crawford, W, 3-0
After last year’s heartbreaking 1-0 semifinal defeat to the Lady Pirates, the Ladycats resolved to not be the ones with their hearts broken this year. Just like last year, the two teams engaged in a highly defensive battle as all of the scoring occurred in the first three innings. The Ladycats got the scoring started in the first inning after Taylor Smith and Paige Pavlu picked up back-to-back RBIs to bring in two early scores. Later in the top of the third inning, Kylie Helmcamp knocked a single to bring in another run to push for the final run of the game. The Ladycats had a lot of success with their baserunning as they worked with a limited number of baserunners throughout the game. Weimar tied Crawford in hits with five and drew just a single walk as the Lady Pirates tried to keep themselves in the game. Three runs were plenty for Weimar as their defensive efforts held their opponents to a shutout, avenging last year’s shutout defeat. Reagan Wick had a strong game on the mound to help the defense keep the Lady Pirates scoreless. She finished with eight strikeouts without throwing a single walk.
State Finals Vs Como Pickton, W, 4-3 The last challenge left that stood in the way of Weimar and their sixth state title in history was a difficult championship game against the Como- Pickton Lady Eagles. The Lady Eagles scored a run in the opening inning that Weimar matched with a one-out RBI double by Taylor Smith that scored Izzy Reeves from first. A scoreless, second inning followed before Como- Pickton picked up two runs in the top of the third inning to create a lead they would hold for much of the rest of the game. The Ladycats limited the damage by holding Como-Pickton scoreless for the remainder of the game. Weimar found clutch outs and made plays with a lot of support from Reagan Wick who started on the mound once again.
While the defense held the Lady Eagles’ offense down for the rest of the game, the Ladycats offense also had some difficulties finding scores in the late innings. The Ladycats found a response to Como-Pickton’s tworun third inning with a single run at the bottom of the third on another RBI double by Smith. However, Weimar spent much of the rest of the game snatching up the few runs they could as neither team had their usual explosive hitting in a well-pitched match. Hannah Fisbeck batted in Claire Pavlu in the fifth inning to tie the game at three after three quick outs in the fourth and before another quick inning in the sixth.
With the game tied, it all came down to the seventh inning. Weimar took care of business at the top with a ground out, a strikeout, and an easy catch on a pop to quickly retire the side. The Ladycats moved into the bottom of the seventh with a goal of walking off the game. Weimar quickly got to work after a one-out single by Izzy Reeves put the first runner on the board for the Ladycats. After a second out, Como-Pickton elected to intentionally walk Taylor Smith, putting runners at first and second. Paige Pavlu stepped up to the plate with the keys to the Ladycats’ destiny. After taking two quick strikes and falling behind in the pitch count, Pavlu battled the odds and changed the course of history with one swing. With two strikes and one ball going into the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Pavlu turned the pitch around on a roped single into left field that brought the speedy Reeves in with no chance of a throw making it home. The Ladycats won their sixth State Championship in dramatic fashion in front of one of the largest Weimar crowds of the season.
