Photos by Leif Erickson
Chatfield softball, the defending Class AA state champions, found early defense of their crown difficult. By one day into May, they already had five losses including key ones to St. Charles twice, Cotter, and La Crescent/Hokah. At that point, they had lost four of five (to tough competition). Jerry Chase’s Gophers have not lost since. They ended their season with wins at Rochester-Lourdes and at home versus PEM. Versus the Eagles, Chatfield blew open a 3-2 game with an eight-run fifth to post a 12-3 win. Eighth grader Makenna Dornack (5-5, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R) led the way with a huge game. Claire Springer (3-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, Win), Alexis Hinckley (3-5, 2 R), Brittin Ruskell (2-4, RBI, R), and Grace Finley (1-4, 2 RBI) helped. Versus the Bulldogs, Chatfield won 11-1 in six innings. Springer’s grand slam home run (1-3, 4 RBI, R) and pitching win (6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) highlighted things. Dornack (3-4, two 2B, 2 RBI, R) stayed hot. Shea Jech (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R), Braelee Horsman (1-2, RBI, R), Ruskell (1-3, 3B, 2 R), and Josie Koenigs (2-2, R) helped. Chatfield’s last six wins have been by a combined 65-9 total. Winners of seven straight, the Gophers (10-4, 13-5) take second in the TRC-West behind #1 in AA St. Charles (14-0, 18-2). Chatfield is 1AA East’s three-seed, will host 6-seed Caledonia (7-8, 10-10).