The Fastpitch Chronicle

The Galloping Ghosts, the back-to-back Division 1 state champions the past two years were at or near the top of every Division 1 coach who answered our call to submit a list of really tough opponents. 

Of course one of the biggest changes in Division 1 is the fact that the second high school in Sun Prairie opened back in September. We haven't seen a roster for those two schools yet but we know some front players are at Sun Prairie West. We will have more on those two schools soon.

Kaukauna returns sophomore pitcher Karly Merideth who can really move the ball. She teamed with Skyler Calmes last year as both went 13-0 in the regular season. Meredith tossed 75 2/3 innings and struck out 115 batters, had an ERA of 0.09 with 11 shutouts, and walked 11. She also batted .423 with, now get this, 4 doubles, three triples and eight home runs. Also returning for the Ghosts are infielder Page Miller who batted .571 in 84 official trips to the plate; outfielder Kally Meredith who in 50 at bats during the regular season batted .608 with three doubles and a triple. Junior Taryn Christopher hit .338 in 68 at bats with a handful of doubles and three homers. Senior Lilly Roehrig hit .311 in 61 trips and had 18 rbi.  Head Coach Tim Roehrig in his 23 year is now 4-79-81 and must really be eager to get after it. 

Oak Creek led by senior righthander Riley Grudzielanek who struck out 290 batters in 130 innings (2.23 per inning). It doesn't take a great mathematician to figure out that her defense, in the average inning needs to make less than one play to retired the side. The Knights batted .349 as a team in 2022 led by Grudzielanek with 3 two baggers and five round-trippers. Sierra Kilbourn hit .413.

Oshkosh West returns senior pitcher Brianna Bougie who went 12-5 in 2022, pitched 109 innings, striking out 122 and had an ERA of 2.63 in the regular season. The Wildcats batted .292 as a team going 19-12 on the season. Leading hitter (576) Abigail Curtis graduated so a big hole must be filled there. Braelee Jodarski, a junior batted .443 with 22 extra base hits in 97 trips. She had four doubles, 8 triples and 10 homers. Junior Kadence Saladin hit .379 with 6 doubles and 3 homers.Bougi8e hit .358 with 10 extra base hit including 5 triples.

Superior looks to be an elite team again this year and why not? The Spartans return a great battery in junior pitcher Haley Zembo and Northwestern commit Ema Rae. Zembo went 11-1 last year with 137 strikeouts in just 88 innings. Rae batted .545 with 8 doubles, 32 triples and 6 homers. 

Cedarburg Co-Head coaches Jeff Langkamp and Mark Jessup welcome back a great nucleus of players from a team that qualified for the Division 1 state tournament the past two years. The two brother-in-laws enter their seventh season at the helm of the Bulldogs. Lost to graduation is current UW-Madison pitcher Patyon Monticelli but able pitching is in good shape with junior righthander Cassidy Gaul who went 7-2 last year and 10-1 in her freshman season. In two seasons Gaul has thrown 124 innings with 203 strikeouts with ERA numbers of 1.27 as a freshman and 0.88 last season. On the offensive side of the game the Bulldogs return Junior Sarah Prom who batted .400 last season with a dozen doubles and two home runs. As a freshman Prom hit .470 with 11 doubles, 1 triple and 11 homers. Junior middle infielder Megan Lacke hit .360 a year ago with 4 doubles and one dinger, Sophomore Ashley LeCavalier hit .323 in 62 at bats with 3 doubles, 1 triple and 2 homers. Junior Lillie Makinster batted .300 with a pair of doubles. Senior catcher Ali Gotter is a player who last played as a sophomore at Whitefish Bay Dominican. The Bulldogs return a tough defensive lineup. They will be a load for all comers. Fans should take a close look at the Bulldog schedule this year. It's stiff competition through and through.

Hamilton has been at the last two D-1 state tournaments but must replace some talented players this year to be top contender. However, with some improvement by younger kids they could challenge again. Pitcher Mya Schneider returns for her junior season after a 9-4 season a year ago. One of the best players in southeast Wisconsin wears a Charger uniform, that centerfielder being Kiley Slaats who has committed to play collegiately at Winona State. Last year Slaats hit .588 in 85 at bats with 8 doubles, 4 triples and 10 homers in the leadoff spot.

Milton won the sectional final last season with a 1-0, 8-inning victory over Burlington who were the defending sectional champions. The Red Hawks return junior pitcher Gwen Baker who went 17-8 a year ago with 183 strikeouts in 141 innings pitched. She also batted .403 with six extra base hits and was the second leading hitter on the team behind freshman, now sophomore Ella Knoble who hit .410 in 78 at bats with 5 doubles and a triple. Other offensive producers returning are sophomore Julia Wolf who hit .333 in a limited number of at bats (33) with two triples. Junior Anya Thomas in 37 at bats hit .324.

Here is a short list of other Division 1 teams that could be a load for all opponents. We hope to hear from these coaches soon so we can preview them for fans to pick and choose who to go watch.

SPASH, Chippewa Falls, Green Bay Preble, Ashwaubenon,