Photo by Paul Trende
It is funny how softball can be. One innocuous play or couple of plays in a row in a short span can dictate the rest of the game. In Caledonia softball’s case, a couple early plays early in their state quarterfinal game dictated the rest of their tourney. It caused a quarterfinal loss. Without, maybe the Warriors would have played for something grander. But junior-led Caledonia responded with two wins to finish out their season strong. In their first ever state appearance, Caledonia brought home the consolation trophy.
Chad Augedahl’s group (#3 in AA, 3-seed, Section 1AA Champ, 26-2) began their state experience at Caswell Field in North Mankato playing Visitation (#7 in AA, 6-seed, Section 4AA Champ, 21-3), which blanked its way through their section tourney by 27-0 total tally. Jitters may have egged a tough start for the Warriors. Blazer leadoff girl Charlotte Ferguson started with a routine groundball single through the short-third hole. Their second batter, Abigail Hemauer then bluffed a bunt and swung threw, hitting a routine groundball through Warrior third-base-person Paizley Lange, who was right on top of the plate waiting for a bunt. The next hitter, Anna Lloyd, did bunt, and the throw went down the line into right field causing two to score. Two non-hard-hit balls and one misplayed bunt and the Warriors trailed 2-0. Madison Schrader later blooped a single, scoring Lloyd. After half an inning, Visitation led 3-0 with three unearned runs. Unlike battles with Cotter/Hope Lutheran in the 1AA play-offs, where the Warriors rallied from down 5-0 and 4-0, they could not rally at state. Visitation junior pitcher Cecelia Lamey (7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB) allowed just one earned run while striking out 12. The Blazers added another run in the third on a Lloyd RBI-triple. The Warriors coupled two of their hits together to score a run a half inning later, as P-Lange singled, stole second, and scored on an Avery Augedahl double. But Lamey allowed just four base-runners through six innings. In the bottom of the seventh, down 4-1, the Warriors attempted a comeback. Nora Staggemeyer started with a single and then a couple errors loaded the bases with just one out. An Adrienne Lange RBI-fielder’s choice plated one run, but also produced the second out. With runners on second and third, a ground-out ended the game. The Warriors fell 4-2. A-Augedahl (7 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 1 BB) struck out 12 but got the loss. The junior (1-2, 2B, RBI), P-Lange (1-4, SB, R), and Staggemeyer (1-3, R) had Caledonia’s three hits. Visitation’s top three hitters, Charlotte Ferguson (1-3, R), Hemauer (2-3, 2 R), and Lloyd (1-4, 3B, RBI, R) scored all four Blazer runs. Schrader (1-3) added an RBI, Audrey Doyle (1-3) a double. The final tally for Visitation was four runs on seven hits, two errors, and five left on base. For the Warriors it was two runs on three hits, two errors, and five left on base. The loss put the #3 Warriors (3-seed, 1AA Champ, 26-3) in the four-team consolation bracket. A day later, on Wednesday, they played Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (#8 in AA, 7-seed, Section 8AA Champ, 21-6). It was the teams’ second meeting of the year. Caledonia won 5-4 in April at a tourney in St. Charles. In the rematch, the Warriors bats were more active, smacking the ball around. The teams combined to score the first five runs all on home runs. A-Augedahl went yard in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 Warrior lead. In the top of the third, Rebel Justice Sanders hit a two-run home run to put her squad ahead 2-1. In the bottom of the fourth, Caledonia’s Staggemeyer smacked a two-run home run of her own to put the Warriors back ahead at 3-2. A half inning later, Elsa Blum led off with a single, stole second, and then scored on an Ashlyn Reinhart RBI-double. Reinhart then scored on a Vivian Kittleson single, giving the Warriors a 5-2 lead after five. Meanwhile, D-G-F left five on base combined in the third thru fifth innings. In the top of the seventh, the Rebels mounted one last threat. Sanders reached via hit-batter. A single by Abigail Cadwell, plus throwing error, then put runners on the corners with no one out. But despite having five errors in the game, the Warriors turned a big double-play to alleviate the threat. An RBI ground-out scored the one run, but Cadwell then got thrown out trying for third. Two on with no out in a 5-2 game suddenly became no-on with two out in a 5-3 contest. A ground-out ended the game, as the Warriors prevailed 5-3. Blum (3-3, R) led the way with three hits while reaching all four times (walk). Kittleson (3-3, RBI) also had three hits. A-Augedahl (1-4, HR, RBI, R) collected the pitching win (7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 R. 1 BB, 3 K). Staggemeyer (1-3, R) drove in two with her big home run. Reinhart (1-4) and Lily Augedahl (1-3) also scored runs. P-Lange (third base) had Caledonia’s most brilliant defensive play in the second inning, diving in foul territory on the first base side to snare a popped-up bunt, then headily throwing to second to get the double play when the runner on first tried to tag. All five D-G-F hits came from hitters five thru eight. Sanders (2-2, HR, 2 RBI, R, HBP) reached all three times and her pinch runner scored another run. Abby Berg (1-3, R) also scored. Autumn Leach (6 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 K, 1 BB) took the loss. Caledonia’s game line was five runs on 10 hits with five errors and eight left on base. The Rebels’ final line was three runs on five hits with four errors and five left on base.
A day later, on Thursday, Caledonia (#3 in AA, 3-seed, 1AA champ, 27-3) was back at it in the consolation final with Rockford (#5 in AA, 4-seed, 6AA Champ, 24-4). It was a game the Warriors stole from the Rockets, literally not figuratively. Caledonia swiped eight bases. Lead-off batter Paizley Lange struck out to open the game, but reached on a dropped third strike. She then stole second and smartly swiped third too. Reinhart blooped a two-out single to score P-Lange making it 1-0 Warriors. Rockford had a runner on second in the first two innings, but did not break through until nine-hole hitter Ashlyn Mantz ripped a solo home run to left field to tie the game 1-1 in the third. The Warriors got the run back in their half of the third, as P-Lange singled, stole her third base, advanced to third on a ground-out, and scored on a passed ball. After Mantz’s home run, Warrior junior pitcher A-Augedahl set down 10 in a row and 15 of the final 16 batters. She got good defensive plays from shortstop Lily Wiebke and third base P-Lange in the stretch. Wiebke snared a line-drive destined for left field in the fifth inning. P-Lange snared a liner meant for the left field corner in the sixth. Up 2-1, Caledonia finally broke through and inflicted damage on hard throwing Rocket pitcher Lilly Bury in the bottom of the sixth. She entered the inning with 10 strikeouts, but the Warriors notched three of their six hits in the game to add three insurance runs. Reinhart started things with a single, stole second, went to third on a ground-out, and scored on a great safety-squeeze bunt by Staggemeyer (who reached). Pinch runner Ayla Lange then stole second. Vivian Kittleson then struck out on a low pitch in the dirt, but reached on a dropped third strike (like P-Lange earlier). An error loaded the bases. P-Lange, who did not bat in the 1AA finals versus Cotter/HL, then continued her excellent game, rapping a two-run single through the left side of the infield, scoring pinch-runner Ayla Lange and Kittleson. Up 5-1, A-Augedahl put the Rockets down in order in the seventh. The Warriors ended the season with two wins to claim the 2026 1AA Consolation Trophy. A-Augedahl (7 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) gave up four hits. She never faced more than four in an inning. Offensively, P-Lange (2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI) swiped four bases. Reinhart (2-3, RBI, R) also had two hits. Staggemeyer (1-3, RBI) had the Warriors fifth hit. Ayla Lange and Kittleson (0-3) also scored runs. Bury (6 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 R, 2 BB) struck out 13 in collecting the loss. The Warriors final line was five runs on five hits, no errors, and six left on base. Rockford’s final line was one run on four hits, three errors, and three left on base.
The Warriors posted their most winningest season ever (28-3) in their first ever state appearance in softball. Usually, at the end of the campaign, it is about who graduated. But like last year, not this year. Chad Augedahl’s group has exactly zero seniors. The same group (mostly) that went 24-4 in 2024 (setting a then school record for wins), 21-6 in 2025, should return intact for another go at it next year. They have a 73-13 record over the past three years combined. The Warriors’ three losses this year were by four combined runs (4-3 to #6 in AA LeSueur-Henderson, 1-0 to Cannon Falls, and 4-2 to #7 in AA Visitation). They’ve been to three straight 1AA finals including winning this year’s title. The team is junior-heavy with starters (around the horn) A-Augedahl (P), A-Lange (C), Blum (2B), Kittleson (2B), Wiebke (SS), P-Lange (3B), Staggemeyer (OF), and Brairy Proulx (OF) plus Lauren Goetzinger (OF). Visitation made the 1AA finals versus #1 Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial, losing 3-2. A-Augedahl made the All-State Tourney team for the Warriors.
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