The Fastpitch Chronicle

The Poynette 10-U team, known as The Crush, behind the steady pitching of Casey Fountain and Zoie Ramberg and the big bat of Mara Millard, claimed the championship at the Stoughton Tournament last weekend.

Fountain and Ramberg combined to win all five games the team played. The two young chuckers pitched a total of 24 innings in the tournament as the Crush run-ruled their opponents in some of their games. In 24 innings of work Fountain and Ramberg fanned 59 batters while walking just 15. Millard slammed a pair of triples for the Crush.

In the championship game, a thriller, the Crush won 1-0 as the two pitchers combined to allow just two hits, fanned 16 and walked only three. The winning run was scored on an rbi single off the bat of Tia Bauernhuber that sent Mikayla Fox sprinting home.

In game one the Crush recorded a 13-3 victory over Evansville as the two hurlers fanned a dozen, allowed only two hits and walked five. Fountain also had two hits while Mara Millard laced a triple.

Next up was a game against the host, Stoughton. The Crush prevailed 7-0 on the run rule. The pitchers fanned 11, allowed two hits and walked three. Lizzie Schwenn had a single for the winners while Mikayla Fox did too and scored two runs.

Game three saw the Crush take on Windsor and come away with a 12-0 run-rule victory. Fountain went the distance in the circle, fanning nine, walking one and allowing just one hit. Schwenn had a pair of hits while Ramberg did likewise. Millard tripled for the second time in the tournament while Abby Gray had two hits.

Game four wound up in an 8-1 victory for Poynette. The pitchers fanned 11 and issued just three walks. They also had a no-hitter through six innings before giving way to a third Crush pitcher, Kirsten Doherty who allowed one hit.

So it was on the championship game where they would take on Oregon. Ramberg got the ball to begin the game for the Crush. She would hold the host club scoreless through the first four innings. She fanned 11, allowed jut one hit and walked only one. Fountain then came on in the fifth and finished out the game, pitching the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. She fanned five, allowed one hit and walked a pair.

Members of team include: Casey Fountain, Zoie Ramberg, Kirsten Doherty, Abby Gray, Lizzie Schwenn, Mara Millard, Tia Baurenhuber, Mikayla Fox, Peyton Gest, Katelyn Chadwick, Megan Reddeman, Hannah McNicol and Abigail Genz.

The team is coached by Matt Ramberg, Ron Millard and Don Schwenn. The Crush is part of the Poynette Fastpitch Organization, a community non-profit organization providing opportunities for young girls to learn the game, create friendships and and forever memories.