SWIPING SECOND — Martin County West runner Ivy Kokoruda (right) steals second base before the throw arrives to Madelia shortstop Addie Ahern during regular-season softball action Friday night at Fox Lake Sports Complex in Welcome. (Photo by Greg Abel)

WELCOME — Walks sank the Mavericks.

The Madelia Blackhawks ended their regular season with an 8-5 Valley Conference softball win over the Martin County West Mavericks at Fox Lake Sports Complex in Welcome.

MCW ends its regular season with a record of 8-9 and will play host to Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Welcome. Madelia ends its regular season with a record of 10-7.

“We’re a team where we need everybody to contribute,” MCW head coach Darrell Ziegler said. “Offensively and defensively, we don’t have a single player who is going to carry us. Our pitchers have to do a better job of getting ahead in the count. … It’s being ready to play when you get to the park.”

Six of Madelia’s eight runs reached base on walks.

The Blackhawks got the scoring started in the first inning. Addie Ahern started the top of the first with a double down the left-field line, then Audrey Zaleski and Abby Jacobs took consecutive walks to load the bases.

The Mavericks got the first out of the game when a ground ball to Taylor Elliott at shortstop turned into a force out at the plate, but Kylie Smith walked with the bases loaded for an RBI.

The Mavericks made an early pitching change before Malia Schwanke lined a single to center on the first pitch she saw, scoring Jacobs. Brooke Lensing then scored when Ashlynn Sweet singled to left.

The Mavericks scored a run in the bottom of the first. Lina Arnold led off with a single up the middle, then took second when the throw to the pitcher went wide to the backstop.

The extra base proved crucial as Arnold scored on Ivy Kokoruda’s single up the middle two pitches later.

Madelia added another four runs in the third, while collecting only one hit.

Kylie Smith, Schwanke, Miah Krebs and Sweet took four consecutive walks to lead to a run. Emma Coil then singled to center for two RBIs, then the final run scored when Ahern reached on an error.

The Blackhawks scored their final run in the fourth when Jacobs singled to right, advanced to second on a wild pitch, reached third on a groundout and scored on another groundout.

“We didn’t come ready to play today,” Ziegler said. “That’s something we’ve been struggling with recently, staying focused. The first five innings we were just going through the motions and not staying focused.”

The Mavericks added two in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the sixth.

Kiley Bettin led off the fourth when she worked the count to 2-2 before turning on a high pitch and sending it over the right-field wall for a homerun.

Thea Anderson followed the round tripper with hard grounder down the third base line for a single. She then advanced to second on a groundout, reached third on a passed ball and scored on an error.

In the sixth, Thea Anderson reached base again, this time on an error, before Elliott connected on a high pitch and sent it deep to right-center field for a two-run homer.

The Mavericks got back-to-back runners in the seventh on a walk and an error, but an groundout to third ended the frame without MCW completing its comeback attempt.

Kelley Bettin started in the circle for MCW, pitching 1/3 of an inning and allowing three runs on three walks and one hit.

Lina Arnold relieved and pitched two innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits and four walks, while striking out three.

Emily Anderson pitched the final 4 2/3s for the Mavericks, allowing one run on three hits, while walking and striking out none.

Brooke Lensing pitched 6 2/3s for Madelia, allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks, while striking out five. Emma Coil pitched to the final two Maverick batters, allowing a baserunner on an error and forcing a groundout for a save.

Arnold had two hits and a run scored for MCW, while Kokoruda had two singles.

Kiley Bettin and Elliott each had a home run, while Hailee Schuett reached base twice on walks and Thea Anderson had two singles and two runs scored.

MAD 304 100 0 — 8 7 3

MCW 100 202 0 — 5 9 1

Kelley Bettin (LP), Lina Arnold (1), Emily Anderson (3) and Ivy Kokoruda. Brooke Lensing (WP), Emma Coil (7) and Audrey Zaleski.

LOB–MCW 8, MAD 5. 2B–Addie Ahern (MAD). HR–Kiley Bettin (MCW), Taylor Elliott (MCW).