Photo by Leif Erickson
Photo by Leif Erickson
Section 1AA softball has three teams on a roll. State-ranked #3 Caledonia (15-0, 21-2) went TRC undefeated and is the section’s only 20-win team. Cotter/HL (9-5, 16-6) has won 12 of its last 13. Each lost in their season finale. And finally, Chatfield (12-2, 14-6), with a three-win week, upped their tally to 11 wins in 12 tries. All victories were against TRC foes. Chatfield first dispatched with Rushford-Peterson 13-3 in six innings. Caijel Berge (6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB) struck out 11 to collect the win. Kendyl Nolte (2-2, RBI), Kinley Manahan (2-2, RBI, 2 R), Makenna Dornack (2-4, 2B, 2 R), and Marley Everson (2-4, RBI, R) each had two hits. Destiny Schlichter (1-2) drove in three runs. Rylee Urban (1-2, RBI, 2 R), Brynn Horsman (1-4, 2 R), and Lauren Sprout (1-2, RBI) helped. R-P was led by Destiny Corcoran (2-3, 2 RBI) and Brielle Schneider (1-2, R). In a key game atop the TRC-West, the Gophers (11-2, 13-6) clinched the division title over the second place St. Charles (9-4, 12-9) via a 2-0 win. Chatfield scored both its runs in the bottom the fifth, Olivia Karver (1-3, R) doing so via single, then scoring on an outfield misplay. Dornack followed with a double and was singled in by Nolte (1-3, RBI). Urban pitched a two-hit shutout (7 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K) to collect the win. Dornack (2-2, 2B, R), Springer (2-3), and Berge (2-3) had two hits. The Saints took the first game between the teams 2-1. The Gophers wrapped up the regular season topping Dover-Eyota 6-3, outscoring the Eagles 4-1 over the final two innings (to break a 2-2 tie). Nolte (2-4, R) and Springer (1-3, 2B) drove in three each, all of the team’s RBI. Urban (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, Win, 2-4) and Dornack (2-4, 2 R) were again key. Brent Berge’s Gophers (12-2 TRC, 14-6 overall) are 1AA’s 2-seed, will host 15-seed R-P (4-17).
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