Photo by Dan Schindler
Chatfield softball opened its season by taking on the Lake City Tourney. Jerry Chase’s experienced Gophers picked up two wins in prep for a big TRC season-opener. The Gophers first beat Cannon Falls 4-1. Chatfield scored the first four runs of the game before surrendering a lone run in the seventh inning. Claire Springer was the hitting hero (2-3, 3 RBI), driving in three runs. Kara Goetzinger (2-4, two 2Bs) scored twice. Devann Clemens (2-3) added two hits. Peyton Berg and Brynn Irish were each 1-3 with a double. Berg (6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) picked up the pitching win. Chatfield then beat Kenyon-Wanamingo 8-1, but the game was tied 1-1 through five innings. The Gophers plated two in the sixth and made it academic with a five-run top of seven.
Springer had just one hit (1-3) but drove in four runs. Jaiden Zimmerman (2-3, RBI), Alexis Hinckley (1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R), Goetzinger (1-3, 2 R), and Clemens (1-2, RBI, R) also did work. Springer went the distance (7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 K) to grab the win. The Gophers (0-0, 2-0) open their TRC season with last year’s 1AA champion St. Charles.