They are the top dogs of the TRC (with a small asterisk). Courtesy of a 3-0 week, Chatfield softball (10-0) is yet to taste defeat. Mark Eickhoff’s girls started by beating L-A 11-3. The Cardinals actually led 3-0 thru 2 ½ innings. Chatfield then got solo home runs from Eryn Radcliff and McKenna Daniels, the latter’s third of the season (ties Belle Berg for team lead). They scored the game’s last 11 runs for the 11-3 victory. Daniels, a freshman, led the charge (3-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 7 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K, Win). Radcliff (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R), Lexi Chase (3-4, 2B, 2 R), and Shelby Isensee (2-3, RBI, 2 R) also had multiple hits. No Gopher batter struck out. Chatfield (#5 in AA) then re-matched last year’s 1AA East final game at Cotter (#4 in AA). The Ramblers top pitcher Isabel Northrup didn’t play (broken hand). The Gophers took advantage, racking up 14 hits. A four-run third put the Gophers up 7-2. They prevailed 12-4. Sophomore Carissa Campbell (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R) hit her first home run (solo shot). Isensee (3-5, RBI) and Berge (3-5, R) had three hits. Berg (2-4, 2B, RBI, R) and Haley Goetzinger (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R) had two. Freshman Chase (7 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 6 K, 2 BB) snagged the win. The Gophers then took on La Crescent. Carlie Berge’s 9-K, four-hit, shut-out highlighted a 5-0 win. Britney Fretland (2-3) had a pair of RBI-singles. Isensee (1-2, 2 R) and Campbell (1-3) each had an RBI-single. Chatfield leads GMLOK (8-1) in the West with some breathing room. The Bulldogs sole loss is to Chatfield and they have yet to face Cotter. The Gophers boast a team batting average over .400 (eight home runs). They’ve struck out 25 times in 353 plate appearances (once every 14 at bats). Six of Chatfield’s first seven batters are freshman or sophomores. Three freshman pitchers are 3-0.
About Paul Trende
Sports Reporter
sports@fillmorecountyjournal.com