Last year, Prescott’s Rory Zuehlsdorf helped lead the Cardinals to a state championship on the softball diamond. She was an all-state first baseman. Zuehlsdorf picked up right where she left off at the plate from a season ago, hitting .420 with five home runs and a team-leading 39 RBI.

About a month and a half ago, Zuehlsdorf randomly pitched a couple balls to catcher Leah French behind the dugout at practice.

"After I saw two pitches, I thought to myself, 'we got something cooking there,’" said Head Coach Nick Johnson. "It was impressive."

The last time Zuehlsdorf had pitched was in eighth grade.

"She's (Zuehlsdorf) is such a competitor," said Johnson, "It's quite the story with her not throwing for four years and coming in and being our number one now. It's incredible what she's doing."  

"It's insane," said French. "It came out of nowhere, but at the perfect time. I don't know how she does it. That girl can just do everything. She's such a great athlete."

Sophomore Grace Ptacek had been the number one starter for the Cardinals and doing just fine. Ptacek is 11-3 in the circle with a 3.63 ERA, but she had allowed 41 walks.

"Grace is super athletic and a great outfielder, so it wasn't like she went to the bench," said Johnson. “It made our team better.”

Johnson is, once again, pushing all the right buttons.

Ptacek and Zuehlsdorf are starring in their new roles and Leah French is, well, continuing to be Leah French. Most opposing coaches will tell anyone who asks that French is the best catcher in the state of Wisconsin.

French recently took her talents off the diamond and straight to the dollar store to be ready for a playoff run.

"We needed to switch it up in the dugout," said French, "so I went out and bought some noisemakers, hats, and leis, just fun stuff."

French also bought a little red rally bucket and someone named it the "Leah French Grind" bucket.

Coach Johnson was correct. There is something cooking in Prescott and it's a dish served Cardinal-red hot.

Somerset came into the region finals on Thursday with a record of 17-7 and Middle Border Conference champions. The Spartans were given the #3 seed in the bracket and Prescott garnered the two-seed, even though the Cardinals finished tied for second in the MBC. Both teams split in the regular season.

Prescott, 20-6, hosted the region finals at Biggs Frey Memorial Field at the Jackie Riley Softball Complex.

Spartan pitcher Marissa Wegleitner and the Cardinals' Zuehlsdorf were dialing up some zeros on the scoreboard; however, the "Leah French Grind" rally bucket and noisemakers were working on the defensive side for Prescott.

French flicked a laser from behind the plate and caught Somerset's Izzy Johnson trying to steal to end the first inning. Cue up the cowboy hats and noisemakers.  

In the top of the second, after an error and a single, the Spartans had runners on first and third with one out. That fire was doused when Somerset's Sophie Johnson popped out to Talli Roth playing first base and Roth alertly flipped it to second baseman Izzy Thoen covering for the double play. Double noisemaker time.

In the top of the third inning, Somerset's Hannah Heintz singled and took second on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Chloe Greeder squared up a line drive to right, but Cardinal right fielder Grace Ptacek made a shoe-string catch, stayed on her feet, and threw a dart to second base, doubling up Heintz to end the inning.

"Buuuhhh-rooooooo," sounded the Prescott noisemakers with the score still knotted up at zero.  

The game was moving along faster than it takes Prescott Middle School Principal Kyle Igou to clean up bird droppings on his driveway. Zuehlsdorf and Wegleitner were pitching like they were double-parked on Henry Street.

With the score still tied 0-0 in the top of the fifth inning, the Spartans' Tori Eichten reached on an error and Wegleitner was safe on a bunt single. Sophie Johnson hit a deep but routine fly ball to Ptacek in right field. Eichten tagged up and attempted to scurry to third, but Ptacek launched a heat-seeking long-range missile from right. The throw was so good, Eichten had time to put on the brakes, but she was caught in a run-down and tagged out. Another double play for the Cardinal defense and the noisemakers were working overtime in the dugout.

“Coach Day said I was playing defensive defense and needed to play offensive defense,” said Ptacek. “I knew if the ball came to me that’s where I was going to throw it. We practice that every day in practice.”

“That play right there was the difference,” said Johnson. “We definitely caught some breaks (with the double plays).”

It was the third double play of the game for Prescott and the noisemakers had already paid for themselves ten times over.

“That play by Grace (Ptacek) was so clutch,” said French.

Ptacek was also 2 for 3 at the plate against Somerset.

It was still scoreless in the bottom of the sixth when the Cardinals’ Thoen singled with one out. Zuehlsdorf walked and French and her .505 batting average came to the plate with a golden opportunity for the Cardinals to take flight.

“Who else in the state of Wisconsin do you want up at that moment?” Johnson asked rhetorically.

French crushed a line drive off the fence in right centerfield, scoring Thoen and Zuehlsdorf. The Cardinals added an insurance run on a Roth fielder’s choice.

Zuehlsdorf shut the Spartans down in the top of the seventh for the 3-0 “Leah French Grind” rally bucket win.  

“When I get on base,” said Zuehlsdorf, “I’m so confident Leah (French) will get me home and she does most of the time.”

French’s sixth inning heroics and Zuehlsdorf’s change-up in the circle were just two of the ingredients for the win.

“She (Zuehlsdorf) asked me for help with her change-up the other day,” said Ptacek, “and she picked it up right away. She’s amazing.”    

“I’ve never had a change-up until two weeks ago when Grace taught me how to throw it,” said Zuehlsdorf.

“The noisemakers were doing their job,” said French with a huge smile. “That’s what they’re supposed to do.”

Prescott traveled to Fall Creek on Tuesday to take on the Crickets in the section semi-finals. The Pierce County Journal will have coverage and reaction in next week’s edition. The Cardinals dropped a regular season game to Fall Creek 3-0 on May 8.