Chatfield and Mabel-Canton softball each reached Austin courtesy of winning their respective sub-sections. Each faced excellent competition and saw their seasons conclude.
Kati Bergey’s Cougars ran into tradition. M-C’s first foe, #7 Hayfield (1A West titlist, 16-6), entered as two-time defending section champ. M-C struck first in the third (Kayla Patterson RBI-single). However, Maggie Streightiff (just fair third inning 3-run) and Kate Kruger (fourth inning 2-run) hit home runs for the Vikings. Hayfield led 7-1 prior to a Cougar three-double, two-run seventh. M-C fell 7-3. Lexi Thorson (3-4, 2B, R) and Coranda Vickerman (2-4, 2B, RBI, R) had multiple hits. Harley McCabe (6 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 5 ER, Loss) battled on the mound. The Cougars then faced always strong W-K (14-10) in a loser-out game. Two big early Vickerman hits (first inning two-run HR, second inning two-run double) helped M-C to a 6-2 lead after 3 ½. But it seemed a matter of time for the Falcons, who loaded the bases, stranding eight, in the first three frames. The dam gave when they scored five in the fourth to pull ahead 7-6. The Cougars had runners on second and third in the fifth, but couldn’t score. W-K left a total of 14 on base for the game, ten in scoring position. M-C still trailed 7-6 heading to their seventh. The Cougars got a runner on ahead of the top of the order. But a pair of outs ended the game, Vickerman on deck. W-K prevailed 7-6. Vickerman (2-3, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, R), Payton Danielson (2-5, 2 R), and Kim Hauber (2-4, RBI) had multiple hits. H-McCabe (6 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 1 K, Loss) pushed through threat-after-threat. M-C’s season ends at 14-7. With the 1A East trophy, the Cougar girls are the only Fillmore County squad (either gender) to bring home hardware in volleyball, basketball, and softball. Vickerman, Thorson, Danielson, Maddy Michels, Kenidi McCabe, and Avery Arneson all pulled triple-duty. Hayfield beat W-K to win its third straight 1A title.
Chatfield (22-0) ran into the toughness of Section 1AA softball, one bad inning, and a hitting/scoring slump. In a battle with #2 Lourdes (21-1), the #6 Gophers need a Mulligan. A walk, a missed ball in the sun, a trio of throwing miscues, and three hits plated five Eagle second inning runs. It could’ve been zero. Chatfield couldn’t recover and suffered its first loss, 5-2. Belle Berg (2-4) had both Gopher RBI’s. Lexi Chase (6 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 9 K, 2 BB, first Loss, 2-4) did her normal dual-duty. Haley Goetzinger (2-3, 2B, R) and Kim Greiner (1-3, 3B, R) had the Gopher runs. Abbey Gapinski (7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER) took the win. Mark Eickhoff’s squad then faced defending state champion #10 Z-M (18-6). Offense was scarce. The Cougars scored courtesy of a Lyndsey Quam third inning single and stolen base, then a Tara Matuska two-out bloop-single. Chatfield’s chance came in the fifth. The first two Gophers reached and were sacrificed into scoring position. A second bunt resulted in a five-six put-out at third base. A strikeout ended the inning. Z-M prevailed 1-0. Chase (7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 12 K, Loss) battled Quam (7 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 11 K, Win). The Gopher frosh hurler ends her four-start post-season with 54 K’s. Chatfield wins every day they played but May 30. They scored just five runs over their final three games. They failed to reach five runs in their first 21 games once. Z-M, winners of 13 of their last 14, beat Lourdes twice to repeat as Section 1AA champ. Chatfield finishes a great year at 22-2. It is the most wins the past ten years, topping back-to-back 21-win seasons in 2008 and 2009 (state teams). Berg (35 hits, six HRs, 32 RBIs, 37 R), Chase (42 hits, eight 2Bs, 28 R, 27 RBI, 11-2, 145 K, .829 ERA), McKenna Daniels (6 HR, 28 RBI, 24 R), Carlie Berge (31 hits, 20 RBI, 19 R, 6-0, 2.88 ERA), Teagan Allen (16 RBI, 16 R), Carissa Campbell (3 HR, 16 RBI), and Shelby Isensee (17 RBI, 24 R) have at least two years left together. Only one full-time senior starter, Goetzinger (33 hits, 21 RBI, 29 R), graduates. Britney Fretland (16 RBI, 22 R) is the lone junior.
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