Softball Perfection

The teams came in perfect on the year.  The game featured a near perfect finish; bottom seven, one run game, runner on third, full-count, power-pitcher versus clean-up batter. TRC-West powers Chatfield (5-0) and GMLOK softball (5-0) dueled.   The #5 in Class AA Gophers led 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, and 3-1.  In the bottom of the fourth, the first two Bulldogs reached and advanced.  Nine-hitter Liz Jacobsen’s shot up the middle scored both (3-3).  In Chatfield’s seventh, two Gophers reached and advanced.  Hottest hitter, Lexi Chase, singled in the go-ahead run. Belle Berg was cut-down at the plate.  Carlie Berge then singled in Chase.  The Gophers led 5-3.  In GMLOK’s bottom, with one out, Courtney Schmidt (single) and Jocelyn Voeltz (double) reached in succession.  Gretchen Corson’s ground out scored Schmidt (5-4).  Four-hitter Gracie Schmidt, who just happened to hit a huge grand slam in last year’s Bulldog win, stepped to the plate.  The count ran full.  Schmidt fouled off a couple, just missing one.  In a battle of 5’10” Berge and 6’1” Schmidt, a swinging strikeout ended the game.  In a classic, Chatfield stayed perfect (6-0) via a 5-4 victory.  Berge (3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 K, Win, 2-4, 2 RBI – game-winner), Chase (4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 K, 4 BB, 1-2, 2 R, RBI), and Berg (2-4) led the victors.  Jacobsen (2-3, 2 RBI), C-Schmidt (2-4, R, SB), and Meskill (7 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 K, 3 BB, Loss) led GMLOK (5-1).  First place Chatfield (7-0) then beat Caledonia 14-4 in six innings.