Knights battling the diamond's best

It's only the second week of the softball season, but it's already a huge one for the Oak Creek Knights.

Oak Creek played state-ranked Kenosha Bradford in a Southeast Conference doubleheader on Tuesday, after press deadline, and will host 2009 state qualifier Greenfield in a nonconference game at 4:15 p.m. Thursday at the high school.

When the dust settles, Knights coach Nathan Vance will have a good idea where his team stands.

"Consistency is the key at this point in the season," Vance said. "If we play to up to our potential and believe in our ability, we can play with anybody. That's exactly what we'll have to do this week if we want to be successful when we play three games against two of the state's best. To be considered one of the best you have to beat the best game in and game out."

The Knights began this week with a split of two previous games and one game suspended due to darkness.

In a season-opening doubleheader at Racine Case on April 15, the Knights lost, 12-5. Oak Creek was credited with two errors, but made multiple mental miscues as well, according to Vance.

"We weren't ready to play and being that it was our first game of the year is no excuse," he said. "Clearly a poor job of preparation by the coaches."

The Knights rebounded quickly in the nightcap. Katie Koepsel, Ally Stanke and Olivia Ahlborn combined for nine of their team's 14 hits as Oak Creek built a 14-6 lead after five innings before the game was suspended due to darkness.

Koepsel had a double and a triple, and Ally Sneed hit a two-run double in the third.

Vance said the game might be completed May 4.

One night later, the Knights upended another 2009 state participant by beating Menomonee Falls, 9-6, at Willowood Park.

Koepsel had two hits, including a triple, with two RBIs, and Alyssa Sirocchi picked up the win by pitching 3 2/3 innings of relief of Stanke.

The Knights aren't the only local team off to a solid start:

Whitnall

The Whitnall Falcons (5-0) have experienced the thrills of winning in all sorts of ways and have opened the season with a five-game winning streak as of Tuesday.

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.

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."

That attitude led to an 8-7 win over visiting Wauwatosa West on Monday.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and the Falcons down, 7-6, Lizzy Menden and James walked. Amy Ford followed with her fourth hit of the game, a single to left center that scored Menden and tied the game.

In the bottom of the eight, two more walks and an infield hit loaded the bases for Starke, who delivered the game-winning run with a single to center.

Dudek pitched all eight innings for the win. She struck out 12, walked seven and allowed only four hits.

Whitnall also hammered Brown Deer, 23-0, on the road April 15.

Greendale

Before suffering a lopsided, 16-6 defeat at the hands of visiting Greenfield on Monday, the Panthers had won four straight to start the season, including narrow victories over Woodland Conference Blue Division favorites Pewaukee and New Berlin West on consecutive days.

In a 7-3 win over visiting West on Friday, Jocelyn Bykowski struck out six batters and allowed just four hits to earn the win, and Lauren Clasen had three hits with four runs scored.

One day earlier at Pewaukee, Greendale scored three runs in the top of the seventh to snap a 3-3 tie and then held on for a 6-5 victory.

The Panthers started the week with a 14-0 drubbing of visiting Brown Deer on April 13.

Bykowski again allowed only four hits, this time with nine strikeouts. At the plate, Alyssa Brunelli went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four driven in.

The Panthers were 4-1 both overall and in conference as of Tuesday.