Dons softball looks to bounce back after brush with state

MARSHFIELD – The Columbus Catholic softball team is coming off its best run to date.

In a game decided by 6 runs, a 5-run inning cost the Dons dearly, in their 10-4 loss to Ithaca last June 5 in a WIAA Div. 5 Sectional Final, their deepest postseason run in school history.

“Last year I’d say the team chemistry was the best we ever had,” Head Coach Troy Zimmermann told Hub City Times on April 1. “The girls bought in, got along, worked hard, and that all starts with senior leadership, and we have the same thing this year. Our seniors expect everybody to come in, work hard, put the time in and they’re going to push the younger players. They’re very positive and encouraging and that’s great to see. That, to me, is No. 1 to get the ball rolling for success.”

The Dons got that ball rolling right off the bat, with a 12-11 come-from-behind win in their season opener March 31 against Rib Lake at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids.

After six lead changes, the Dons trailed Rib Lake, 11-10, going into the bottom of the seventh inning.

With two outs, Shelby Spata made her way to third base, then stole home to tie the game at 11.

“She looked at me and I looked at her and we both smiled, and she goes, ‘You see it?’ The catcher wasn’t looking back and she said, ‘You mind?’ I said, ‘If you see it on the next pitch, you go for it.’ We had a game plan and it worked. She stole home and tied the game up,” Zimmermann told us.

Then, with the bases loaded, sophomore Olivia Becerra drove in the winning run with a base hit to right field.

The Dons got hits from seven different players. Becerra led the way. She went 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs. Izzy Holz was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Spata, Callie Bell and Aubrey Lambrecht each had two hits.

Zimmermann’s roster features eleven players, the same number he had last year.

Junior Abby Wojcik is this year’s pitching ace in the circle and will get the majority of the innings for the Dons.

“Great attitude, great work ethic. She comes in and puts in a lot of time and she’s doing all the right things,” Zimmermann said. “She’s got a tremendous changeup and she’s really locating well, so I expect good things from her this year.” 

Becerra is doing the catching this season.

“She got some innings last year behind the plate,” said Zimmermann. “It’s a work in progress, but she’s got a great attitude and she’s getting better and better every practice. Her blocking is phenomenal. Her best asset is her attitude. She’s always got a smile on her face, takes criticism, just a great kid.”

Sophomore Callie Bell anchors first base.

“In travel ball she plays mostly outfield, but we converted her into a first baseman and she’s been doing really, really well,” Zimmermann shared. “Very coachable kid.”

Sophomore Izzy Holz will spend a lot of her season at second base.

“Extremely fast,” Zimmermann told us. “She covers so much ground at second base and she will be platooning this year. She’ll be playing a little outfield and we might be switching it up during innings.”

Senior Kate Casperson is serving as the Dons’ shortstop again this year.

“I’ve had her there since her freshman year and she just has a knack for reading the ball, attacking the ball and she’s just a phenomenal shortstop. She’s also my leadoff [batter],” Zimmermann added. “I count on her to get on base any which way she can.”

Senior Ciena Adler mans third base this season.

“She’s really, really hard on herself, but this year she’s really working hard,” said Zimmermann. “She’s come a long way and I expect some really big things out of her, so excited to see what she can bring this year.”      

Freshman Katy Zimmermann is starting the season in left field.

“We’re going to be experimenting,” Coach Zimmermann admitted. “A lot of inexperience in the outfield this year. She didn’t play last year, so that kind of hurt her, but she’s really surprising us coaches during practice.”

Spata will anchor the outfield in center field.

“Extremely fast. She’s going to cover a lot of those gaps. Been blessed to have her there for four years because she really shrinks down that field and covers so much ground. I’ve had so many coaches tell me in conference meetings they can’t wait for her to be gone because girls think they’ve got base hits and she takes them away, so it’s a very nice weapon to have out there,” said Zimmermann. “And we know what she can do at the plate.”

Among several other players, Aubrey Lambrecht and Kara Schifelbine will be platooning in right field.

Zimmermann is now in his ninth year as the head softball coach at Columbus Catholic.

“I tell the girls all the time, ‘If you’re not learning something every day, you’re hurting yourself.’ I constantly watch video of our games, just trying to pick up even what I’m doing wrong,” Zimmermann admitted. “Going to coaching clinics. Watching and talking to other coaches that I admire and appreciate and just taking every little piece that I can get from them.”

Joe Seitz, Wayne Jakobi, Jared Ystad and Brianna Jakobi are serving as Zimmermann’s assistant coaches this season.