Warriors Push to Austin and 1AA Final Four
Caledonia softball kept its strong season alive courtesy of three post-season wins in four tries. The Warriors (2-seed, 18-2) first took down Lake City (15-seed, 2-17) in the 1AA Round of 16. Caledonia had six extra base hits and a six-run third was their big inning in a five frame 11-1 win. It was their sixth straight victory by double digit runs. Avery Augedahl (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) and Annah Anderson (2-2, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) each hit home runs. Braelyn Lange (1-2, RBI, R) had a triple and collected the win (4 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K). Aubrie Klug (2-3, R) had two doubles. Elsa Blum (2-4, RBI, R), Kennedy Hansen (1-3, 2 RBI, R), Paizley Lange (1-3, 2 R), and Adrienne Lange (1-4, 2B, R) helped. Caledonia (2-seed, 19-2) then hit a snag versus St. Charles (7-seed, 12-9) in the 1AA quarters in Rochester. The Saints left more runners on base (11) than Caledonia had base-runners (7). Warrior pitching walked 11 while Saint non-hard-thrower Lauren Waller walked zero. SC averaged 5.7 plate appearances per inning, Caledonia 3.9 per. The Warriors never had a defensive one-two-three inning. SC jumped ahead 4-0 after three as top Saint hitter Mya Omdahl had three RBIs. Up 4-2, they scored four in the seventh to ice it. The Saints pulled the upset 8-2. P-Lange (2-3, 2B), Augedahl (1-3, R), and B-Lange (1-3, RBI) were Caledonia’s best “O.” Waller (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) and Omdahl (2-3, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R) led the Saints. Caledonia (2-seed, 19-3) then played Dover-Eyota (3-seed, 15-7) in an elimination game. D-E jumped out 4-1 midway thru the third only for Blum (2-run) and B-Lange (solo) to hit back-to-back home runs, tying it. Caledonia then scored four in the sixth on five hits. A Blum single plated the go-ahead run (5-4). Hansen added a two-run double (7-4). In four innings of relief work, Augedahl allowed just two base runners. The Warriors prevailed 8-4 for their 20th win. Hansen (3-4, two 2B, R) and Blum (2-3, HR, 2 R) each drove in three runs. Augedahl (2-4, 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K) got the win. B-Lange (1-4, HR, RBI, 2 R, 3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, No Decision) started on the mound. A-Lange (2-4, 2B, 2 R), Klug (2-4, R), and P-Lange (1-4, 2B, RBI) helped. Caledonia (2-seed, 20-3), per a Tuesday rain-out affecting the entire tourney, then hosted Z-M (4-seed, 12-11) in a Saturday elimination game. The Cougars had a four-run third to lead 5-2. But Caledonia responded. B-Lange had a key 2-run double in a three-run Warrior third. Cal tied it 5-5. An inning later, Augedahl hit a solo home run (her second of the week). After back-to-back hits by A-Lange (single) and Blum (double), a B-Lange sac fly plated a second run. Caledonia went ahead 7-5. Z-M got a run back in the fifth, leaving a runner on third. They wasted a lead-off double in the sixth. In the seventh, with one on and one out, the Warriors punched a trip to Austin via four-six-three double play; Vivian Kittleson to B-Lange to Blum! Chad Augedahl’s group scratched out the 7-6 win! Blum (3-4, 2 R) had three doubles, B-Lange (1-3, 2B, 2 R) three RBIs. Augedahl (1-4, HR, RBI, R) collected the win (4 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K). A-Lange (2-4, 2B, 2 R) and P-Lange (1-3, 2 RBI) helped. Z-M was led by Paislee Peterson (3-4, RBI, 2 R). Four of the Cougars’ six runs moved up via wild pitch. Two scored that way. The Warriors (21-3) will play Cotter (5-seed, 17-7) in another elimination game.
Softball: Gophers Make 1A Semifinals, Bow Out After Four Games
Chatfield softball redeemed last year’s one-and-done playoff run by making the 1AA semis. But back-to-back wins were followed by back-to-back losses. Brent Berge’s Gophers (6-seed, 13-7) first handled Rochester-Lourdes (11-seed, 7-12) in the Round of 16 by 10-0 final in five innings. Alexis Hinckley (3-4) had two doubles and drove in three runs. Brittin Ruskell (3-4, 2 RBI, 2 R) also had three hits. Kendall Knutson (2-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R), Makenna Dornack (1-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R), and Braelee Horsman (1-2, R) helped on offense. Riley Urban (5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K) collected the win. The Gophers (6-seed, 14-7) then faced Dover-Eyota (3-seed, 15-6) in the quarters. Chatfield scored four fourth inning runs to lead 6-1. Ruskell had a two-run triple and Hinckley followed with a two-run home run. The Gophers prevailed by 7-4 final. Hinckley (2-4, HR #5, R) and Ruskell (2-4, 3B, R) each drove in three runs. Knutson (2-3, 2 R), Dornack (2-3, 2B, 2 R), and Grace Finley (2-3) also had two hits. Urban (7 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, Win) collected the win. Chatfield (6-seed, 15-7) then turned around and faced St. Charles (7-seed, 13-9) in the 1AA semis. The Saints knocked off 2-seed Caledonia. After the Gophers scored a run in the first, St. Charles plated six in the second to lead 6-1. The edge was later 8-1. Chatfield made a comeback but fell by 9-6 final. Dornack (3-4, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R) hit a seventh inning home run. Hinckley (1-3, 2B, RBI), Braelee Horsman (1-3, R), Brynn Horsman (1-3, R), and Olivia Karver (2-3) helped. Bailee Glover (2-4, 3 RBI, 2 R) and Mya Omdahl (2-3, 3B, RBI, R) led the Saints. Chatfield split with both D-E and SC in the regular season. A couple days later, Chatfield (6-seed, 15-8) trekked to Winona to face Cotter (5-seed, 16-7) in an elimination game. The Gophers led 2-0 early, but Cotter scored three in the fourth and two in the sixth to go ahead 5-2. No more than four Gophers went to bat in the fourth thru seventh innings, as Cotter prevailed 5-2. Dornack (2-4, 3B, RBI, R) and Hinckley (1-3, 2B, RBI) drove in runs. Finley (1-2) added a double. Chatfield had just five hits. Cotter scored all their runs off Gopher starter Urban (4 1/3 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, Loss). Briar Rouleau (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Camrie Macal (2-4, 2B, 2 R), and Madison Hazelton (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, Win) led the Ramblers. The Gophers’ season ends at 15-9.
1A and 1AA Softball Playoffs (5/20 – 5/24)
(1AA Round of 16) 13-seed GMLOK (9-11) 0, 4-seed Zumbrota-Mazeppa (10-10) 10 [6] (Cougar pitcher Camryn Kovars (6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K, Win) tossed a no-hitter. GMLOK’s season ends at 9-12)
(1A Round of 16) 9-seed Goodhue (7-13) 0, 8-seed Houston (13-7) 1 (H: E. Botcher 7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, Win; O. Yohe 1-3, 3B, RBI; Kylie Stinson 1-3, 2B; Rylee Boldt 1-2; Emily Baumann 0-0, R. Houston seventh grade pinch-runner Baumann scored the game’s only run in the third on a Yohe RBI-triple. Houston lost to Goodhue 5-4 in the regular season)
(1A Round of 16) 10-seed Mabel-Canton (10-9) 4, 7-seed Lewiston-Altura (10-10) 10 (M-C: Tylar Wenthold 1-2, RBI, Hailee Eiken 1-3, R. LA hit two home runs, scored in every inning but the second (and seventh). M-Cs’ season ends at 10-10)
(1A Round of 16) 11-seed Rushford-Peterson (6-14) 2, 6-seed Wabasha-Kellogg (10-9) 4 (RP: Delaney Vaughn 1-3, RBI, R; Cassandra Boyum 1-3, R; Shelby Tesch 6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, Loss. R-P tied the game 2-2 in the fourth but W-K went ahead 4-2 in the fifth. R-P went 1-2-3 in the last two innings. Trojans finish at 6-15)
(1A Round of 16) 12-seed Fillmore Central/Lanesboro (4-16) 1, 5-seed Kenyon-Wanamingo (10-9) 7 (FC/L finishes at 4-17)
(1A Round of 16) 13-seed Spring Grove (7-12) 0, 4-seed Hayfield (11-8) 10 (Lions eliminated with no hits and with only one base runner with a walk. SG finishes at 7-13)
(1A Quarterfinal) 8-seed Houston (14-7) 2, 1-seed Blooming Prairie (15-4) 12 [5] (H: E. Botcher 1-2. BP: Rachel Winzenburg 4-4, two 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 2 R. The Hurricanes were held to two hits and two runs while the Blossoms had 12 hits)
(1A Elimination) 8-seed Houston (14-8) 4, 5-seed K-W (9-9) 10 (H: Julia Swenson 3-4, 2 R; Hailey Stark 1-3, 2 RBI; K. Stinson 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R; E. Botcher 6 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, Loss; Caitlin Brand 1-2, R. ‘Canes finish at 14-9)