Bangor ends I/G softball season in regional

The Independence/Gilmanton softball season came to an end last week as Bangor took an early lead in its Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Four regional quarterfinal game and answered every I/G challenge.

That was the second game I/G played last week as it opened with a 17-7 loss to Eau Claire Regis on Monday. After Tuesday’s game against Osseo-Fairchild was rained out, I/G fell behind Bangor early on Thursday. The Indees challenged the Cardinals throughout the rest of the game, but the result was a 7-3 loss.

I/G’s 2025 campaign closed with a 3-15 record but could be used as a learning experience. The Indees were a team made up entirely of underclassmen without either a senior or a junior on its roster. The team played seven freshmen regularly and had three sophomores start. 

EC Regis 17 I/G 7

The Indees got off to a fast start with five runs in the first inning, but couldn’t keep it going.

Hannah Ekern led off with a single and later scored on a fielder’s choice to put I/G ahead 1-0. Katelyn Kampa and Sarah Roskos added RBI singles in the inning, the second of which brought in two runs. Breely Kampa then tripled to put I/G ahead 5-0. 

The Ramblers chipped away with two runs in the bottom of the first then exploded for seven without getting a single hit in the second. Regis took advantage of five hit batters, three walks and two errors in the inning to take a 9-5 lead.

Regis did some hitting in the third as the team had a triple and three singles as part of a four-run inning. 

Catherine Kampa drove in two for I/G with a single in the top of the fourth and another run scored on a fielder’s choice, but the Ramblers were still in control of the game. 

After five walks, Regis ended the game with a two-run double that put them ahead by 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth. 

The Indees had 10 hits in the game as Hannah Ekern, Catherine Kampa and Roskos all had two. Roskos and Kampa both had two RBIs. 

Hannah Ekern and Katelyn Kampa split pitching duties. Ekern pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a hit, but she hit six batters and walked four while striking out three. Kampa walked nine batters while allowing five hits and striking out two. 

Bangor 7 I/G 3

The Indees rallied, but it wasn’t enough as the Cardinals answered to end I/G’s season.

Bangor took control of the game with four runs in the bottom of the third. I/G chipped away, but every run was answered.

Hadley Sylla drove in I/G’s first run with a single in the fourth. She later scored on a groundout to cut Bangor’s lead in half. 

Bangor got one run back in the fifth, but a leadoff home run by Hannah Ekern in the sixth brought I/G back within striking distance. The Cardinals put the game away with two runs on three hits and a walk in the bottom of the sixth.

I/G went down in order in the seventh. 

Hannah Ekern went two-for-three at the plate for I/G while three other Indees had one hit. She struck out 10 in the losing effort while allowing six hits and seven walks.