The #3 Mid-Prairie girls softball team clinched it’s first conference title of any kind in program history Friday afternoon with a 2-1 win over visiting Wilton. The victory allowed Mid-Prairie to stake claim to the conference title outright. Mid-Prairie took an inning one lead with an RBI single by Maddie Kaalberg to drive in Mallory McArtor.

The Hawks doubled their lead in the fourth when Erika Murphy reached on an error and courtesy runner Ashley Sojka came in to score on an Emily Troyer RBI single. Wilton would make things interesting cutting the lead in half with their only run of the game in the fifth when Karlie Broders doubled to lead off the frame and came around to score on an Amanda Fowler fielders choice. At times it was touch and go but
Mid-Prairie stranded 12 Wilton runners on the day. Mid-Prairie forced the Beavers to strand the bases loaded in the fourth without allowing a run and kept the tying run at second in the seventh to secure the one run win.

Following the game Head Coach Justin Lutjen talked about his team’s goal of a conference title they set before the season and his team’s performance in pressure situations.

“It does feel good, like I said it was one of the girls goals at the beginning of the year and they worked their tails off, and goal one is completed and accomplished and now we have bigger and better goals we are striving for,” Lutjen said. “We have seven seniors out on the field, they’ve been doing it for a long time they’re confident, they understand the game and a lot of pressure situations anymore really don’t have that much pressure, and that’s what you look for, that’s what your build for after four years your try to put pressure in practice and you look to get the out and move on.”

Olivia Lugar recorded the win for Mid-Prairie. She went 3 1/3 innings, allowed five hits, walked two and struck out two. Taylor Kurtz recorded the save going the final 2 2/3 innings, surrendering five hits, one run, walking one and striking out two. Karlie Broders took the loss for Wilton going all six innings, giving up five hits, two runs and striking out two. Mid-Prairie ends the conference season at 12-2 one game ahead of second place Durant and the Golden Hawks stand at 28-8 overall.