MADISON — The Bradford softball team’s first-ever trip to the WIAA State Tournament ended up being a brief one.

In a Division-1 quarterfinal Thursday afternoon that featured more than enough what-ifs and should-have-beens to make even a 1980s-era rocker lose a full head of hair, fifth-ranked Stevens Point edged top-ranked Bradford, 2-1, at the University of Wisconsin’s Goodman Diamond.

After so many years spent trying to get to State, including the previous three when they lost in the sectional final to Verona each time, the Red Devils were sent home faster than a panhandler approaches a person walking down State Street.

Bradford (23-2) committed four errors, two leading to both Panthers’ runs, and tallied only four hits off Stevens Point starter Kelly Franks in six-plus innings.

“This is what we worked for for four years and to make it here was our goal, but it wasn’t enough,” said Bradford starter Alyssa Roberts (12-1), who allowed six hits, the two unearned runs, walked none and struck out four in six innings before Ali Brems pitched a perfect seventh.

“I mean it just sucks. There’s no other word for it. It’s kind of heartbreaking. I know for everyone it is, (but) especially for the seniors. It’s the last time we’ll ever play in something like this.”

As might be expected, the Red Devils didn’t go down without a fight.

After Franks, a sophomore right-hander, faced only one batter over the minimum in the third through sixth innings, Bradford first baseman Sarah Swager led off the bottom of the seventh by lining a shot off Franks’ left knee for an infield single.

“I don’t know right now if there’s any better high school player in the state, I really don’t,” Bradford coach John P. Ruffolo said. “Sarah Swager, since maybe the last six or seven games of the regular season and into the playoffs has been the most clutch player I’ve ever seen. The fact that she ripped a solid line drive up the middle in that situation where we needed a baserunner didn’t surprise me in the least.”

Franks, who allowed one unearned run and struck out seven with no walks, hobbled outside the circle for several seconds, then threw two balls to the next batter, Ari Roberts, the latter a passed ball that moved Swager to second.

Swager advanced to third on Roberts’ sacrifice bunt, prompting Panthers coach Tom Drohner to replace Franks with senior Stacey Tuskowski, the 2008 Wisconsin Fastpitch Coaches Association Division-1 Player of the Year.

Cynthia Miller, who had singled to center to score Swager for a 1-0 Bradford lead in the second inning, struck out looking and Cayla Schlevensky popped out to first in foul territory to put the defending State champion Panthers (25-3) into the semifinals against 13th-ranked Watertown on Thursday night.

Ruffolo said he couldn’t have scripted the Red Devils’ final rally any better, with the exception of coming up one hit short.

“The batters that we had up there who’ve delivered all year, hats off to Stevens Point, too, but I really liked what we had in that situation,” he said. “I think most of the time we’re going to come out on top in that situation.”

Swager, who hopes to walk on at Ohio State starting next fall, agreed.

“I really thought we could have come back. I know that every single person in our lineup is capable of having that clutch hit,” said Swager, one of four Bradford seniors (along with Alyssa Roberts, Courtney Mercier and Elysha Ortiz). “Props to that pitcher, too. She’s a good pitcher, they have good pitchers, they have good players.

“It was just a battle between two good teams. Somebody’s going to win, and somebody’s going to lose.”

After Bradford took the aforementioned 1-0 lead, it gave it right back the next inning. Leadoff hitter Brooke Piotrowski reached when Alyssa Roberts fumbled a tapper between home plate and the circle, and Alli Novotny hit a two-out single up the middle to tie it at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third, Brems reached on an error and took second on a wild pitch with one out, but Franks retired the next two batters to end the threat.

Stevens Point plated the go-ahead run in the fourth. Emily Miskoski blooped a single over shortstop Ari Roberts’ head and scored with two outs when Ari Roberts misplayed Brittany Bergquist’s ground ball.

Instead of charging in to field it on the first hop, Roberts stayed back and the ball ate her up. In a tense matchup between two state-ranked teams, that was the final break the Panthers needed.

Drohner said he had learned about the importance of charging grounders at Goodman in his team’s previous State appearances.

“You’ve got to charge it, and you’ve got to be ready for it because it accelerates (on the second hop) and you’ve got to figure out a way to eat it up and get it over to first,” he said. “With a runner on third base, you can’t afford to make that mistake and we were able to capitalize on it.

“Bradford’s a great team, and for us to win this is outstanding.”