Gophers a Sweet 16

Many of them haven’t had their Sweet 16 birthday.  Yet, AA #3 Chatfield softball is 16-0.  They have clinched a share of the TRC-West.  In a tough non-con test with defending 1A champion Hayfield (7-3), Chatfield trailed 4-1 after three.  They tied it in the fourth (Lexi Chase two-run double).  A Haley Goetzinger RBI-single put the Gophers up 5-4.  They led 6-4 heading to the seventh.  There, Chatfield’s key asset, its pitching depth, came into play.  Two Vikings reached.  Coach Eickhoff went from Carlie Berge to Chase.  She gave up a walk (bases loaded), then got three outs.  Chatfield prevailed 6-4.  Chase (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 1 IP, Save), Belle Berg (2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R), Berge (6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, Win (5-0)), and Goetzinger (2-3, RBI, R) led the charge.   PEM then came to town.  Frosh Chase was the story (7 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, season-high 15 K, 1 BB, Win).  She yielded a 3-run home run, but it didn’t matter.  Chatfield won 8-3.  Chase was also a good bat (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R) alongside Goetzinger (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R).  At W-K, the Falcons led 3-0.  Chatfield had a 6-run fourth to go ahead.  McKenna Daniels (3-run), Shelby Isensee (2-run), and Daniels again (solo) then hit home runs in three straight innings.  Chatfield prevailed 14-5.  Frosh Daniels (3-4, 2B, two HR, 5 RBI) has six big flies.  Chase was her multi-tasking self (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, final 3 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 K, 0 BB, Win).  She’s 6-0.  Chatfield (15-0, 16-0) leads GMLOK (12-3) in the West.