Chatfield Runs Through Early Season Gauntlet
It is their best group of wins in succession since three victories at the 2022 state tourney. Chatfield softball’s schedule to start the year was not for the faint of heart. Two of their first four foes were 1AA semifinalists last year. The other two came into the season ranked top 20 in Class AAA. Coming off a 7-2 win over St. Charles, the Gophers next played preseason AAA #14 Byron and #7 Stewartville plus TRC archrival Cotter/Hope Lutheran. Versus Byron, Brent Berge’s Gophers never trailed. They led 3-1, 6-3, and 8-3 at the end of every even inning, winning 10-5. Rylee Urban (6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) collected the win with Katryn Johnson (1 H, 0 R, 2 K) pitching the final inning. Brittin Ruskell (1-3, RBI, 2 R), Makenna Dornack (2-5, RBI, 2 R), and Kendall Knutson (2-3, 3 R) all had triples. Grace Finley (1-3, RBI, R) added a double. Brynn Horsman (1-3) and Kylie Sinn (1-2, R) also drove in runs. Chatfield had to go extra innings with Stewartville. In a 1-1 game, the Gophers had runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh but came away empty. In Stewie’s eighth, they had two in scoring position with one out but came away empty. In the bottom of the eighth, Ruskell walked, was sacrificed to second by Johnson, and scored the game-winning run on a two-out Knutson RBI-single for the walk-off win! Stewartville scored its sole run in the third following a Brooklyn Peterson triple and then an RBI-ground-out. Chatfield tied it in the fourth, as a Knutson hard-ground ball went through second base and all the way to the wall. She scored on a wild pitch. Chatfield left five on base, four in scoring position. Stewie stranded nine, five in scoring position. Urban (8 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 16 K) pitched a great one to move to 3-0. Knutson (2-4, 3B, RBI) and Ruskell (1-3) scored the Gophers’ runs. Stewie pitchers Addie Eckerman (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K) and Syndey Klar (1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, Loss) gave up just five hits. Chatfield then finished the week playing Cotter/HL. Chatfield used a six-run second inning, one helped by four Rambler errors, to help build a lead that grew to 9-0 after three. Johnson and freshman Madyson Proper had 2-run home runs in the second and third innings respectively. The Gophers prevailed by an impressive 10-3 final. Proper (2-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) and Johnson (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R) combined to drive in five. Sinn (2-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R), Dornack (1-4, RBI, R), and Urban (2-2, 2B) also contributed. Urban pitched the first three scoreless innings (1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K) before yielding to Johnson (4 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, Win). Emilia Krage (2-3, 2B) drove in two of Cotter’s three runs. The Ramblers had taken the three previous games in the series including ending Chatfield’s season last year. The Gophers improved to 2-0 in the TRC, 4-0 overall.
Warriors Improve to 5-0, Grab #6 Ranking in State
Last year’s section 1AA runner-up Caledonia posted a 3-0 week to improve to 5-0 on the year. Chad Augedahl’s Warriors took down Rushford-Peterson and PEM in TRC action before handling Stewartville in non-conference. Versus the Trojans, Caledonia won 15-0 in four innings. Sophomore pitcher Avery Augedahl recorded all 12 outs by strikeout. She also was 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run (4 RBI, 3 R). Nora Staggemeyer (3-3, 2B, 3B, RBI, 3 R), Adrienne Lange (3-4, 3B, 2 RBI, 3 R), Lily Wiebke (2-3, two 2B, RBI, 2 R), Paizley Lange (2-2, RBI, 2 R), Vivian Kittleson (2-3, 2 RBI, R), and Elsa Blum (2-4, RBI, R) all also had multiple hits. At Plainview, Caledonia scored in every inning but the third, building a 5-0 lead midway thru the fifth. They prevailed 10-3. Augedahl did not give up an earned run while striking out 15 in recording the win (7 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2-4, 2 RBI). Lead-off hitter A-Lange (3-4, 3 R) contributed six stolen bases. Brairy Proulx (2-4, RBI, 2 R) hit a solo home run. Wiebke (3-4, 2B, RBI 2 R), Staggemeyer (2-4, 2 RBI, R), P-Lange (2-4, 2 R), and Kittleson (2-4, 2B) also did work. The Warriors finished the week off at Stewie on Saturday afternoon. A year ago, the Tigers ended Caledonia’s win streak at 10 courtesy of a 2-1 win. The re-match saw Warrior leadoff A-Lange begin the game with a solo home run, blasting a shot to left through a heavy cross wind. It was the game’s only run. Augedahl took it from there. The Tigers did not get good aluminum on any of her pitches, as she tossed a two-hitter (7 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 15 K). The two hits were an infield chub (where the runner was incorrectly called safe at first) and a lazy fly-ball that fell along the left field line. Both led to the Tigers’ only two threats. The infield single loaded the bases in the third, but a ground-out ended the jam. The double came in the seventh, but Augedahl struck out the next two Tigers, ending the game, a 1-0 Warrior win. Caledonia had five hits, all sharply, by A-Lange (1-3, HR, RBI, R), Blum (2-4), Wiebke (1-3) and Kittleson (1-3). Stewie pitchers Addie Eckerman (4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K) and Sydney Klar (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K) combined to strike out 15, as the game had 30 strikeouts. The Warriors (4-0, 5-0) started the week #9 in AA, but are up to #6. Augedahl is 5-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched.
Hurricanes Win Three, Grab #6 Ranking in State
With a 3-0-week, Houston softball improved its overall record to 6-1 on the year. They out-scored their three foes 41-5. League adversaries Schaeffer Academy and Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons were majorly overmatched in 17-0 and 18-4 wins in four and five innings respectively. Versus the Lions, senior pitcher Emily Botcher tossed a four-inning no-hitter (0 BB, 11 K) while also contributing at the plate (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R). Julia Swenson (3-3, 2B, 2 R) drove in four runs. Claire Frauenkron (3-3, two 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R), Rylee Boldt (3-3, 2B, 3 R), Olivia Yohe (2-3, two 3B, 2 RBI, R), Aspen Peterson (2-3, RBI, R), and Caidence Frauenkron (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI) also smacked the ball. Versus AC/G-E, Botcher (3-3, 2B) had 4 RBI and collected another win (5 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, Win). Claire Frauenkron also had 4 RBI while going 4-for-4 (two 2B, 3 R). Swenson was also 4-for-4 (2 RBI, 4 R). Ca. Frauenkron (2-4, 2 RBI, R), Emmie Melbo (2-3, RBI, R), and Yohe (1-3, RBI, R) helped the cause. Houston ended the week topping Hayfield 6-1 on the road. They out-hit the Vikings 14 to 7. Botcher (7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 K) had a few walks but grabbed the win to improve to 6-1. Boldt (3-4, R) drove in three runs. Swenson (2-4, 3B, RBI, R), Ca. Frauenkron (2-4, 2B, 2 R), Peterson (2-3, RBI), Yohe (1-2, R), and Cl. Frauenkron (3-4) also contributed. Josh Swenson’s ‘Canes (4-0, 6-1) are ranked #6 in Class A and lead the SEC with Southland (3-0, 4-0).
Three Rivers Conference Softball (4/8)
Cotter/Hope Lutheran 11, Fillmore Central/Lanesboro 0 [5] (FCL had just four hits. Falcons > 0-3, 0-3)
Southeast Conference Softball (4/8 & 4/10)
Mabel-Canton 12, Alden-Conger/G-E 1 (M-C: T. Wenthold 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 16 K, Win; Hailee Eiken 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R; Hope Erickson 2-4, 2 RBI, R; Vayda Luhman 1-1, 2 RBI; Ella Halverson 2-3, 3 R; Kailey Ingvalson 1-4, 2 R. Cougars > 2-1, 2-2)
Southland 13, Spring Grove 1 [5] (SG: Claire Sherburne 3 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 10 BB, 4 K, Loss, 2-2; Brinley Middendorf 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; Jada Strinmoen 1-3, RBI)
Lyle/Pacelli 0, GMLOK 18 [4] (GMLOK: Mollie Voigt 3-3, 4 R; Paisley Schlee 3-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R; Aspen Kolling 2-4, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, R, 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, Win; Hailee Warren 2-3, 2 R; Macy Runck 2-3, 2 R)
GMLOK 0, Southland 9 (GMLOK had five hits. Southland took control 7-0 with a four-run fifth)
Non-Conference Softball (4/12)
Lake City Tourney > GMLOK 1, Lake City 11 [5] (GMLOK: M. Voigt 2-4, R; Jaelee Hagstrom 1-2, 2B. The Tigers had a seven-run first inning); GMLOK 0, Cannon Falls 11 (GMLOK > 2-2, 3-4)
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