Hurricanes Ascend to Shared SEC Title
Playing games of descending toughness, Houston softball posted a 3-0 week with two big victories. They ascended to a share of the SEC title. The biggest win was a Tuesday showdown with league leader Southland. Houston took advantage of 12 walks and they hammered out 10 hits. Josh Swenson’s ‘Canes built a 10-1 lead midway through the sixth, survived a six-run Rebel bottom of the inning that cut the lead to 10-7, but walked away with a 12-7 win. Caidence Frauenkron (2-5, 4 RBI, 2 R) and Kylie Stinson (2-4, 3 RBI, 2 R) each hit home runs for Houston. Frauenkron’s was a three-run jack in the third to make it 3-0. Stinson’s was a two-run shot that came in the seventh, after the Rebels’ rally. Julia Swenson (1-2, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI), Olivia Yohe (1-2, 2B, R), and Rylee Boldt (1-2, 2 R) helped the cause. Emily Botcher (7 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 3 K) collected the win. Laney Weis (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R) homered to lead the Rebels. The win allowed the Hurricanes (10-2, 15-3) to pull virtually even with the Rebels (11-2, 13-4) atop the SEC. Houston then beat third place Mabel-Canton by 5-1 final. The Cougars did not score until the seventh inning. Botcher (7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB) struck out 12 in collecting the win. Swenson (2-3, two 3B, RBI, 2 R), Boldt (2-3, 2 R), Claire Frauenkron (2-3, 2 RBI, R), and Caid. Frauenkron (1-3, 2B, RBI) had key hits. Kira Snyder (2-3, 2B, RBI) and Ella Halverson (1-3, R) combined for M-C’s run. Tylar Wenthold (6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) took the loss. The Hurricanes then handled SG 8-0 to share the SEC title. Botcher (7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB) had a no-hit bid scuttled with one out in the seventh via a corkscrew infield hit. The senior struck out 15 including the 300th of her career. Cl. Frauenkron (2-3, 2 R), Caid. Frauenkron (2-3, R), Stinson (2-3, 2B, R), and Botcher (1-3) each drove in a run. Swenson (1-3) scored twice. Emerson Ingvalson had SG’s one hit. Seventh grader Claire Sherburne (7 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 5 BB) struck out nine in defeat. The Hurricanes (12-2, 17-3) share the SEC with Southland (12-2, 15-5) despite beating the Rebels twice (though losing twice to GMLOK). Houston’s top hitters, Cl. Frauenkron (15 2B’s, 2 HRs, 31 RBI), Boldt (22 RBI), Caid. Frauenkron (10 2Bs, four 3Bs, 2 HRs, 29 RBI), Swenson (12 2Bs, five 3Bs, 30 RBI), and Stinson (13 2B, two HRs, 34 RBI) are all either sophomores or 8th graders. Botcher and starting catcher Caitlin Brand are their only seniors. Winners of eight in a row, Houston is 1A’s 2-seed, will host 15-seed Schaeffer Academy (0-15). SG (7-7, 8-10) is 1A’s 11-seed, plays at 6-seed M-C (14-6).
Baseball/Softball: M-C Has Wild Week, Games With GMLOK, Houston, and R-P
Ball teams from Mabel-Canton were involved in multiple noteworthy games on the week, including but not limited to, playing GMLOK, Houston, and R-P. On Monday, Paul Tollefsrud’s baseball guys played the longest Journal-covered game of the year. At Hayfield, M-C scored four in the top of the seventh to lead 5-3, only for the Vikings to get a two-out, bases loaded, two-run single to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. In the eleventh inning, M-C scored runs on a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly. They posted the 7-5 win! Starter Nolan Garness (6 1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2-4, R) and reliever Isaac Underbakke (4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, Win, 1-5, 3 RBI, R) pitched M-C to victory. Kale Tollefsrud (2-5, 2 RBI) and Milton Hutchinson (2-4, RBI, 2 R) each had two hits. Tuesday was all about softball pitcher Tylar Wenthold. The junior (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB) struck out 17 in beating GMLOK 2-0. She recorded her 500th career strikeout. Ella Halverson (2-2) tripled and scored M-C’s first run. Hope Erickson (1-3) scored the second. Bulldog Aspen Kolling (6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB) took a tough loss with 12 strikeouts. Mollie Voigt (2-3) had a double. On the baseball diamond, M-C rode Darian Hershberger’s shutout (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K) to the 3-0 win. The Cougars had a three-run third for the game’s only scoring. GMLOK had a trio of errors and two hit batters in the inning. Bulldog starter Blake Hershberger (6 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 R ,0 BB, 1-3, 2B) struck out 11 in defeat. K-Tollefsrud (1-2, RBI) and Hutchinson (1-3, R) did some offensive work for the Cougars, who won their fourth in five tries. M-C softball then went extra innings at Goodhue. The Cougars led 2-0 heading to the Wildcats last at bat only for Goodhue to tie it. In the 8th, M-C’s Wenthold walked. Courtesy runner Whitney Williams made second on a passed ball and then scored on an Izzy Torgerson single. The Wildcats had a double in their half that then got cut down on the base paths. M-C posted the 3-2 extra inning win. Wenthold (8 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, Win), Kira Snyder (2-4, 2B), Erickson (1-4, 2B, R), and Torgerson (1-4, RBI) did work. A night later, both M-C teams played at Houston. The baseball game was the gem, with three combined home runs (wind blowing out). Houston built an 8-4 lead after four only for M-C to score three each in the fifth and sixth to lead 10-8. With it still that score, in the bottom of the seventh, ‘Cane senior Morgan Rohweder lived the dream, hitting a walk-off three-run home run for the 11-10 Houston win! Rohweder (3-4, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 5 1/3 IP, 7 H, 10 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K) and Hector Steinfeldt (3-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, Win) each went yard and pitched. Zach Olson (4-5, 2 R), Dawson Pedretti (3-4, 2 RBI, 2 R), Coltin Groth (3-4, 2B, 3 RBI), and Grayden Beckman (1-4, 3 R.) helped. Underbakke (2-4, RBI, 3 R, 3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K), Hutchinson (1-2, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R), K-Tollefsrud (2-2, 2 RBI, 2 R), and Tyler Larson (1-3, RBI) led M-C. M-C softball lost to Houston 5-1 (See “Hurricanes Ascend…”). The Cougars teams then played R-P. Wenthold tied a season-high with 18 strikeouts and pitched a no-hitter (7 IP, 3 BB) in a 3-0 Cougar softball win. M-C only had two hits but took 10 walks. Snyder, Torgerson, and Lindsey Williams scored runs. In the playoffs, SEC third place M-C (10-4, 14-6) is 1A’s 6-seed, hosts 11-seed SG (8-10). R-P (2-13, 3-17) is the 12-seed, plays at 5-seed L-A (9-10). Baseball fell to R-P 11-1 in five innings. Carson Johnson (3-3, 2 RBI, 3 R) had two doubles, Caden Johnson (2-3, RBI, R), Owen Lange (1-2, 2 RBI), and Cayden Lea (1-2, 2 R) each one. Connor Vaughn (2-4, RBI, 2 R), Creighton Hoiness (2-3, 2 RBI, R), and Cole Thompson (1-3, RBI, R) aided in R-P collecting 12 hits. Elias Johnson (3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, Win) and Lea (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K) did the pitching. D-Hershberger (1-2) scored M-C’s only run. R-P (7-8, 8-12) is 1A’s 9-seed, plays at 8-seed W-K (7-11). M-C (7-7, 8-12) is the 14-seed, plays at 3-seed Southland (13-4).
Three Rivers Conference Softball (5/13 & 5/15)
#10 in AA Chatfield 1, St. Charles 7 (C: Brittin Ruskell 1-3, R; Olivia Karver 2-3. Leading 3-1, the Saints had a four-run sixth. Chatfield was credited with five errors, the Saints zero. It was only the third time Chatfield scored two or less runs.)
Fillmore Central/Lanesboro 5, Lewiston-Altura 8 (FCL: H. Erickson 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, R; Braelyn Hovey 1-3, RBI, R; Haley O’Connor 1-4, RBI, R. FCL had a five-run third to lead 5-4, but gave up a three run fifth to trail 8-5)
La Crescent/Hokah 5, Caledonia 1 (C: Paizley Lange 2-3, RBI; A. Augedahl 7 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 13 K, Loss; Ashlyn Reinhart 1-3, R. The Lancers had a four-hit, three-run fifth inning to break a 0-0 tie. Caledonia won the teams’ first meeting 5-0. Caledonia has scored five runs total in its four losses while averaging 10 runs in the wins)
Rushford-Peterson 0, Cotter/HL 10 [6] (R-P had just three hits); Cotter/HL 14, R-P 2 (R-P: Lindsey Hoiness 1-2, R)
Caledonia 10, Rushford-Peterson 1 (C: A. Augedahl 3-5, RBI, 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 15 K, Win; Lily Augedahl 3-3, RBI, 2 R; P. Lange 2-4, RBI, R; E. Blum 1-3, 2B, RBI; Brairy Proulx 1-1, 2B, RBI, 3 R; Lily Wiebke 1-4, RBI, R. RP had just two hits)
Fillmore Central/Lanesboro 6, Cotter/Hope Lutheran 8 (FCL: H. Erickson 4-4, R; Norah Nagel 1-3, 2B, RBI, R; Gwen Lieb 1-2, 2 RBI, R. The Falcons led 2-0 thru four.)
Southeast Conference Softball (5/13 – 5/16)
Lyle/Pacelli 0, Spring Grove 22 [4] (SG: Emerson Ingvalson 2-2, RBI, 3 R; Jada Strinmoen 1-1, 2B, 3 R; Joelle Halverson 1-1, RBI, 2 R; Claire Sherburne 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K, Win. Sherburne tossed a four-inning no-hitter. The Lions had four hits but walked 2 times and scored 15 in the first inning); SG 3, L/P 1 (SG: E. Ingvalson 2-3, 2B, RBI, R; Jada Strinmoen 1-4, R; Brinley Middendorf 1-3, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, Win. The Lions outhit the A’s 6 to 5.)
Spring Grove 21, Schaeffer Academy 5 [4] (SG: C. Sherburne 4 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 8 K, Win; B. Middendorf 3-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 3 R; J. Strinmoen 3-3, 2B, 4 R; Sydney Holland 1-2, 3 R; Izabel Kaufmann 3-4, 2 RBIs, 2 R; Kendal VanMinsel 2-3, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R; Joelle Halverson 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R; E. Ingvalson 1-3, RBI, 2 R. Sherburne pitched a two-hitter.)
Alden-Conger/G-E 3, GMLOK 10 (GMLOK: H. Warren 2-4, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R; Aspen Kolling 3-4, RBI, R, 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 K, Win; Jaelee Hagstrom 2-4, two 2B, RBI; Mollie Voigt 2-3, 2 R; Emma Howard 1-3, RBI, R; Candace Hanson 1-2, 2B, 2 R)
Non-Conference Softball (5/12 – 5/16)
Winona High 1, Caledonia 9 (C: A. Augedahl 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, Win, 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R; P. Lange 3-4, 2 RBI, R; Elsa Blum 2-3, 3B, 2 RBI, R; Lily Wiebke 2-4, 2 R; L. Augedahl 2-3, 2B, R; A. Reinhart 3-4, RBI, 2 R)
Goodhue 6, Spring Grove 0 (SG: Brinley Middendorf 2-3, two 2B; Claire Sherburne 7 IP, 2 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 5 HBP, 6 BB, 9 K, Loss. Goodhue’s Emma Voth pitched a three-hitter, striking out 13 and walking no one while backed by a defense that turned three double plays)
Kasson-Mantorville 3, #10 in AA Chatfield 7 (C: B. Horsman 3-4, HR, RBI, 2 R; M. Dornack 1-3, HR (5), 2 RBI, R; Kendyl Nolte 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R; Kendall Knutson 3-4, 2B, RBI; Katryn Johnson 2-3, RBI, 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Grace Finley 2-4, 2B; B. Ruskell 1-4, 2B, 2 R; Caijel Berge 3 2/3 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, Win; Rylee Urban 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K; Madyson Proper 2-3. All 10 runs were scored in the span of an inning and a half. Chatfield scored four in the bottom of the third, K-M three in the top of the fourth, Chatfield three in the bottom of the inning with Horsman and Dornack both going yard)
#10 in AA Chatfield 11, Lake City 9 (C: K. Nolte 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R; R. Urban 2-2, 3 RBI, 3 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, Win; M. Dornack 2-5, 2B, RBI, R; O. Karver 3-4, R; B. Horsman 1-4, RBI, R. B. Ruskell 1-4, 3 R. The Gophers came back from down 9-2 after four via of a six-run fifth and a three-run sixth. Urban entered in the fourth to get her first win in almost a month (injury).)
Zumbrota-Mazeppa 1, Caledonia 15 [5] (C: A. Augedahl 5 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, Win, 1-1, RBI, 2 R; L. Wiebke 3-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R; Nora Staggemeyer 2-3, 2 RBI, R; P. Lange 2-3, 2B, 3 R; E. Blum 1-2, RBI, R; L. Augedahl 1-1, RBI, 2 R; Vivian Kittleson 1-2, R)
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