For the later part of the 2010 decade, Chatfield softball dominated the TRC-West. The first full season in a new decade (exempting the 2020 COVID-campaign) saw St. Charles take control of the West and ride a great season all the way to the 2021 1AA section title and a state runner-up finish. The teams met up early here in 2022. Chatfield absolutely stuck their noses back in the TRC West race. St. Charles’ first runner of the game scored, as Makadyn Gust led off with a bunt-single and plated on an RBI-double by Lauren Delger. Chatfield then put up the next three runs. Later in the first, Kara Goetzinger singled, went to second on a walk, and came all the way around to score on an infield single by Alexis Hinckley. In the second, Devann Clemens led off with a single, stole second, and scored on a two-out Saint error on a long fly ball. Chatfield left the bases juiced in the inning. In the fourth, Goetzinger authored a one-out single and plated one batter later on Peyton Berg’s RBI-double. After four, Chatfield led 3-1. The Saints had their chances in a tight game. Gust led off the third inning with a double, but was caught in a run-down trying to go for a triple. In the sixth, St. Charles had runners on second and third with one out, but a pop-out bunt, and ground-ball out ended the rally. Finally in the seventh, Gopher pitcher Claire Springer got the first two batters, but the next three Saints all singled. The last hit, Grace Buringa’s knock, scored Emma Welliver making it 3-2 Chatfield. SC had runners on second and third, but a pop-out to the pitcher by three-hole hitter Lauren Delger ended the game. The Gophers got the big early season win, 3-2. Goetzinger (2-4, 2 R), Clemens (2-3, R), Berg (1-1, 2B, RBI), and Hinckley (1-3, RBI) accounted for all of Chatfield’s hits, RBI, and runs. Springer (7 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K) grabbed her second win. She threw 21 of 30 first pitch strikes. One-through-three hitters Gust (3-4, 2B, R), Buringa (2-4, RBI), and Delger (1-3, 2B, RBI) did the biggest work for the Saints. Brenna Koeppel (6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 11 K) took the loss. The Gophers went 0-3 versus Koeppel and the Saints last season (including losing 1-0 in eight innings in the 1AA play-offs). Chatfield mustered just 10 hits and just one (unearned) run over 22 innings and Koeppel had 33 strikeouts in the contests. The Gophers improved to 1-0, 3-0.
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