As the spring sports season finally gets into high gear with the improved weather, I just wanted to highlight a couple of notable events involving the teams I cover that occurred in the previous week.

I am still trying to figure out just what happened in the softball game between New Berlin Eisenhower and Greenfield on May 1. The Lions entered that game at 7-0 overall, not having allowed a single run nor committed an error all season, and they held a 3-0 lead going into the sixth inning.

The Hustlin' Hawks proceeded to score five runs in the next two frames, all after two outs and no one on base, and they benefitted from two errors and a passed ball in the seventh inning alone.

Coach Jeff Setz was as stunned as anyone, saying, "It was very uncharacteristic of our defense. Today was the first day we had errors, and they all came at a critical time when the game was on the line."

There were two other interesting sidelights about that game: the five runs by Greenfield were the most allowed by Eisenhower in any game in the past two seasons, and the contest marked the third straight season that the Hawks took on Eisenhower when the Lions were unbeaten, and the second time they knocked off the Lions in those three years.

Greenfield certainly used the game as a springboard, going on to win the Germantown Tournament the next day, then routing Greendale on May 4. The Hawks face a crucial game for first place in the Woodland Conference South Division later today against Cudahy.

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A little ingenuity by Muskego tennis coach Jake Adamson helped three teams get in some extra work and enjoy a beautiful day on May 2.

The Warriors were set to play in the Oconomowoc Invitational that day, but the meet was cancelled due to the H1N1 flu outbreak. Adamson contacted the coaches at Eisenhower and Watertown Luther Prep and invited them over to play a triangular. "It was just too nice out to not get in some matches," Adamson reasoned.

As it turned out, the teams put on a nice show, with all three duals being decided by 4-3 scores. "This ended up being a very good invite with three evenly-matched teams," he said.

Adamson deserves credit for his quick thinking in putting the meet together. Clearly, the spring sports teams don't get many opportunities to play in perfect weather, and they need to take full advantage of every one they get.

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Congratulations also to the Eisenhower soccer team for its big 2-1 victory over Shorewood in a Woodland contest on May 5 on an overtime goal from Kali Shandley, assisted by Hadley Bales. The Lions struggled early this season against a rugged non-conference schedule but went to 2-0 in conference play with that victory.

They play host to a tournament this weekend, then visit rival New Berlin West on Thursday, May 14, in what shapes up to be a typical intracity thriller.

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Finally, the pitching efforts of West Allis Central's Corinne Burgermeister and West Allis Hale's Nicole Grubor deserve mention. Those two hooked up in a classic 1-0 game, won by Central, on May 5. They each allowed just two hits and the lone run of the game came on a sacrifice fly.

High school softball tends to revolve around pitching, and those two were at the top of their games that day.

The best-laid plans....

Last August, Duane Mlachnik gave up his Muskego girls basketball head coaching spot to take the same position with the Warrior boys program. At the time, he said it was the most difficult decision he had ever made but also that he was looking forward to the new challenge.

Last week, he resigned from the boys coaching position.

In between came a disappointing 3-18 season as well as what he described as issues with a few -- and he emphasized just a few -- parents. "It was just too much of a hassle," he said. "I didn't feel like dealing with it anymore. The season was not a lot of fun."

It is unfortunate when a coach (or a player, for that matter) comes away from a season feeling like it was not any fun, because isn't high school sports supposed to be all about learning and having fun doing it?

I worked with Duane for several seasons, covering both the Muskego girls and boys teams, and I always found him to be a gentleman, extremely cooperative and friendly.

I particularly remember the aftermath of a particularly agonizing loss in a WIAA girls sectional championship game in March 2008. The Warriors held a nine-point lead in the fourth period against Brookfield Central and appeared to be on their way to Madison, only to see the Lancers storm back to win.

He easily could have hid in the lockerroom and refused to speak to me because of the intense emotions he must have been feeling at that point. Instead, after an appropriate period of time to console his players, he came out and answered my questions in a forthright and honest manner. I respected him for doing that.

I would just like take this opportunity to thank Duane for all his help and wish him good luck in the future.

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The first week of softball season produced a couple of interesting occurrences.

One was the near-perfection reached by New Berlin Eisenhower. In four games, pitchers Lauren Beres and Kayla Schlegel worked a combined 22 innings, allowing just four hits (all by Beres) with 51 strikeouts and no walks. Oh yes, and the Lions did not commit a single error despite playing in cold, windy conditions and on what had to be a hard surface.

Looks like Eisenhower is in good shape to make a run at defending its WIAA Division 2 championship.

The other was a game between West Allis Central and West Allis Hale. For half of the game, pitchers Corinne Burgermeister of Central and Nicky Grubor of Hale were locked in a 1-0 duel.

All of a sudden, the bats came alive on both sides. The Huskies tallied four for a 4-1 lead, then Central came back with three to tie it. Hale went ahead 7-4 in the bottom of the sixth, only to see the Bulldogs tie it again with three in the seventh. Finally, Hale pushed across the winner in the bottom of the seventh on a hit from Morgan Abel.

What a wild, unpredictable game! It again shows what how entertaining softball can be.

By the way, the teams are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday, May 5, at Dorow Field, Central's home.