Greenfield — A nail-biter, a comeback and a blowout.
The Whitnall Falcons softball team experienced the thrills of all three as they swept through the second week of the season to improve to 4-0 as of Monday.
Perhaps the most impressive of the three was the Falcons' 10-6 come-from-behind victory over visiting Pewaukee on Friday.
The Pirates took a 3-1 lead into the bottom half of the fifth inning thanks to two runs in the top of the frame. But Whitnall exploded for six runs in the bottom of the inning that put the Falcons ahead, 7-3. The outburst included key triples by Danielle Starke and Carolyn Dudek.
"The girls could have given up but they didn't," said Whitnall assistant coach Anna Nieznanski. "We realized that Pewaukee's pitcher was throwing a lot of good first-pitch strikes and the girls went up to the plate looking to hit them."
Pewaukee battled back with three runs in the top of the sixth to move within one at 7-6, but Whitnall answered with three more in the bottom of the sixth sparked by a two-run home run by Maria James that put the game out of reach.
Dudek, who finished with two triples, pitched all seven innings for the win. She struck out seven, allowed seven hits and walked six.
"The Pewaukee game was a real test of our girls' determination and ability to keep scoring runs," Nieznanski said.
Scoring runs was a problem in the week's first game, a 1-0, eight-inning Whitnall victory over visiting St. Francis on April 13.
Whitnall had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh but could not score. In the bottom of the eight, the Falcons would not be denied as Hannah Schmidt's single brought home James for the game-winning run.
"I think this game was a learning opportunity for the girls," Nieznanski said. "They kept their heads up and didn't get down after not scoring in the seventh, just went back at it again and won it in the eighth."
Dudek picked up the win with five innings of relief of starter Amy Ford. Dudek struck out eight.
Sandwiched between the two close contests was a 23-0 drubbing of host Brown Deer on April 15.
Jocelyn Seppela, Schmidt, Allison Barnhart and Rachel Niles had two hits each; Barnhart drove in six runs.
Dudek and Ashley Cridelich combined on a two-hitter with seven strikeouts in five innings.
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