The O in Gophers

An “O” and a “0” aren’t technically the same thing.  For Chatfield softball, the “oh” represents a “zero” in the loss column.  Mark Eickhoff personally had some really sad news on the week.  His varsity head coaching career is, however, all smiles, all wins.  Chatfield began by slamming W-K 14-1 in five innings.   Belle Berg (2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R) hit her third home run in three games.  Lexi Chase gave up two hits and a first inning run, but then set down eleven straight (5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 10 K, Win; 2-3, 2B, RBI).  McKenna Daniels (3-3, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R), Carlie Berge (2-3, 2 RBI, R), and Britney Fretland (1-2, 2 RBI, 2 R) helped.   Chatfield then won at St Charles 12-1 (six innings) for their fourth straight double-digit victory.  Chase (3-3, 3 R) and Fretland (3-3, 2 RBI, 3 R) did things in threes.  Shelby Isensee (1-3, 2 R) and Teagan Allen (2-4) each had two RBI.  Daniels (6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) recorded her first varsity pitching win.   Chatfield then hosted D-E in a coaching battle of Preston-area fast-pitch guys (Eickhoff, former FC/L baseball coach Ryan Scheevel).  Daniels hit a 2-run home run in the second to help give Chatfield an early 3-0 lead.  Carlie Berge then battled D-E (and herself).  The freshman fanned 14.  She allowed 13 base runners (five BBs, eight hits).   Only three scored.  Berge stranded, D-E left, five at third base alone, eight in scoring position.  Chatfield prevailed 5-3.  Berge had a resolve-building effort on the mound (7 IP, 139 pitches, 8 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 14 K, Win > 2-0).  Chase (4-4, 2B, RBI) stayed red-hot, ending the week 9-for-10 at the plate.  Daniels (1-3, HR #2, 2 RBI, R), Haley Goetzinger (2-3, 2 R, 2 SB) and Fretland (2-4, 2B, 2R) helped.  Youthful Chatfield (5-0 in TRC/overall) is tied atop the TRC West with GMLOK (5-0) ahead of a big early season showdown.