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Rosemount passes test in 4A quarters
1:09 p.m.
Grace Nosan likes pressure situations.
The senior catcher delivered a game-winning single to left field with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving defending state champion Rosemount a wild 8-7 victory over Stillwater in the Class 4A softball state quarterfinals Wednesday at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Pinch runner Anna Price, who replaced Kayla Bartol after she singled, stole second and scored on Nosan’s base hit.
The Ponies (19-6) rallied from a 7-1 deficit to tie it 7-7 on a two-out, two-run bloop single to right field by junior Megan Boser in the sixth inning. Stillwater scored four runs in the previous inning to make it 7-5.
Stillwater scored first in the second inning on junior shortstop Ava Volkmann’s solo home run to straightaway center field. Volkmann went 3-for-4 and scored three runs. Junior outfielder Maya Schroeder also belted a solo home run, finishing with two hits and two RBI.
Bartol went 2-for-5 with four RBI, all coming on a grand slam in a seven-run second inning for the No. 2-ranked Irish (22-4).
It was a rough day for the three schools from the Lake Conference — Eden Prairie, Edina and St. Michael-Albertville — in the other Class 4A quarterfinals.
Forest Lake 5, Eden Prairie 1: Junior outfielder Ava Stenglein drove in three runs with two hits as the No. 4-ranked Rangers (19-4) downed the Eagles (16-7). Two of her RBI came in Forest Lake’s three-run first. Senior Hannah Tong picked up the win, allowing three hits while striking out seven in 6⅔ innings. Sophomore Avery Muellner came on to get the final out with the bases loaded.
New Prague 5, St. Michael-Albertville 1: Sophomore second baseman Lenna Britten went 3-for-4 and scored a run as the No. 9-ranked Trojans (21-3) beat the 10th-ranked Knights (18-7). Junior outfielder Katie Boulanger had a two-run single to right-center field in New Prague’s three-run fourth. Winning pitcher Jordyn Marsh went the distance, allowing two hits while striking out six and walking none. She also had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run in the Trojans’ two-run first.
Rogers 7, Edina 0: Eighth-grader AnnaBelle Waldoch threw a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and went 3-for-3 at the plate as the fifth-ranked Royals (20-3) blanked the Hornets (16-10). Senior shortstop Lauren Freeberg also had three hits, scored twice and had an RBI.
No. 1 goes out in Class 1A
9:13 p.m.
Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley played giant-killer in the quarterfinals.
The Wolverines rallied for seven runs in the top of the seventh inning, overcoming a five-run deficit to beat No. 1-ranked Red Lake Falls 9-7 in the Class 1A quarterfinals.
Eighth-grader Sadie Wright capped the uprising with a two-run single down the left-field line to give the Wolverines the lead. Wright went 2-for-4 with three RBI. The Wolverines (19-4) had six of their nine hits and benefitted from two of Red Lake Falls’ six errors in the final inning. Two runs scored on errors, one on a passed ball and a fourth on a bases-loaded walk.
Red Lake Falls scored three runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to open a 7-2 lead. Senior Quinnlyn Kenfield came off the bench to go 2-for-2 with five RBI, driving in two runs in each of the three-run innings.
In other Class 1A quarterfinals:
New Ulm Cathedral 8, Kelliher/Northome 1: Winning seventh-grade pitcher Jayde Altermatt came on in relief and threw five hitless innings with 10 strikeouts, giving the Greyhounds’ bats time to warm up against the Mustangs (19-4). Senior Jenna Hotovec went 2-for-3 with two RBI as the No. 3-ranked Greyhounds (24-2) scored three runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to take control.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 10, Moose Lake/Willow River 0: The No. 8-ranked Knights (23-4) scored four runs in each of the first two innings and rolled past the Rebels (13-11) in a game called in the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule. Winning pitcher senior Kya Anderson threw a five-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and no walks. Freshman Paisley Thooft went 2-for-2 with three RBI. Sophomore teammate Brezlyn Buchert went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Both bat in the bottom half of the lineup.
West Lutheran 14, Blooming Prairie 7: The Warriors (18-4) scored 11 runs over the last three innings to overcome a 7-3 deficit and beat the No. 4-ranked Awesome Blossoms (19-6). Freshman shortstop Kailey Oppitz went 2-for-5 with seven RBI and two runs scored. Winning pitcher Eleanor Rolf, a sophomore, went 5-for-5 and scored five runs while senior Madeleine Tusler went 4-for-4 with two RBI. Both teams had four errors, leading to nine unearned runs.
Standout pitcher lifts Randolph as hitter
6:17 p.m.
Carter Raymond wasn’t at her best in the circle. She made up for it at the plate.
Randolph’s junior standout had a two-run single in the Rockets’ three-run fourth inning, propelling them to a 3-2 victory over Glencoe-Silver Lake in the Class 2A quarterfinals. Sophomore Maya Preston followed with a run-scoring single to provide the decisive run.
Raymond, who was revealed as the Star Tribune’s Metro Player of the Year on Monday, allowed six hits while striking out 11 and walking none for the No. 1-ranked Rockets (25-1). The Panthers (18-6) scored both of their runs, one unearned, in the top half of the fourth.
Junior Maribeth Banks went 2-for-3 and scored a run for Randolph.
Glencoe-Silver Lake’s Lydia Simons went 3-for-3.
In other Class 2A quarterfinals:
Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 7, Dassel-Cokato 1: The second-ranked Knights (22-2) scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to break open a close game. Winning pitcher Avery Voges, a senior, went 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Classmate Rilee Penkert had a two-single to right field in sixth. The Chargers (19-5) scored their lone run on an error.
St. Agnes 5, Proctor 0: Sophomore Angela Proper took matters into her own hands. Proper threw a three-hit shutout while going 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBI as the No. 5-ranked Aggies (23-2) blanked the Rails (20-5). Senior Gianna Schmidt added two hits and two RBI. Both players belted solo home runs.
St. Cloud Cathedral 2, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 1: Senior Ella Voit threw a four-hitter as the seventh-rated Crusaders (23-2) slipped past the defending state champion Rebels (22-4). Sophomore Samantha Dingmann had a run-scoring single for the Crusaders. Both runs they scored were unearned.
Mankato East pounds out a protest
3:09 p.m.
Mankato East took exception to being ranked No. 7 in the final regular-season coaches association poll.
The Class 3A defending state champion took it out on North Branch, scoring 10 runs in the first inning en route to a 16-2 victory in the quarterfinals in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule Wednesday at Caswell Park in North Mankato. The Cougars (18-6) scored all of their runs in the first three innings.
Senior Hailey Petzel did a lot of the damage in the first inning, hitting a two-run home run and adding a two-run single in her second at-bat of the inning. She went 3-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored.
Eighth-grader Harper Stangl went 1-for-1, scored three runs and drove in two for the Mankato East.
The Vikings (9-14) avoided being shut out with two runs in the fourth, both scoring on freshman Aubrey Charpentier’s two-run single to right field.
The other Class 3A quarterfinals:
Cretin-Derham Hall 8, Benilde-St. Margaret’s 0: The Raiders (19-6) lived up to their No. 1 ranking as junior Brooke Nesdahl shut out the Red Knights (7-14) on two hits while striking out 11 in going the distance. Senior Samantha Haider and junior Kaiya Anderson each drove in two runs for the Raiders, who scored six times in the second inning. Haider also scored two runs and stole two bases. Senior Maggie Wozniak had both of the Red Knights’ hits.
St. Francis 6, Rocori 2: Winning pitcher Sydney Borchert had two hits and two RBI as the Saints (20-5-1) surprised the No. 3-ranked Spartans (19-4). Borchert allowed three hits in a complete game, striking out eight and walking none. Rocori losing pitcher Jessica Boos, a sophomore, had two hits, including a solo home run.
Winona 6, Simley 1: Senior Mackenzi Simmons belted two three-run homers in the first three innings as the No. 4-ranked Winhawks (20-4) cruised past the Spartans (16-8). Senior pitcher Lauren Kreckow threw a four-hitter and struck out 10 in going the distance. Losing pitcher senior Taylor Gallahue belted a solo home run for the Spartans.
The champs strike back
11:04 a.m.
Ava Volkman’s blast for Stillwater woke up Rosemount.
The defending state champion Irish responded with seven runs in the bottom of the second inning, taking a 7-1 lead over the Ponies in the Class 4A quarterfinals.
It doesn’t look like it’s going to be a very good day for the Lake Conference. All three of its representatives — Eden Prairie, Edina and St. Michael-Albertville — are trailing by three runs. Forest Lake leads Eden Prairie and Rogers is beating Edina by 3-0 scores, and New Prague holds a 4-1 lead on St. Michael-Albertville.
The day’s first loud noise
10:49 a.m.
The first pitch has been delivered at the softball state tournament at Caswell Park in North Mankato.
The first blast also has been crushed to straightaway center field by Stillwater’s Volkmann, giving the Ponies a 1-0 lead over Rosemount in the Class 4A quarterfinals.
Forest Lake, against Eden Prairie, and Rogers, against Edina, have opened up 3-0 leads. New Prague holds a 2-1 lead over St. Michael-Albertville.
Class 4A quarterfinals
Tap on the game for a postgame summary or live scoring if the game is in progress
WEDNESDAY
New Prague 5, St. Michael-Albertville 1
Class 3A quarterfinals
WEDNESDAY
Cretin-Derham Hall 8, Benilde-St. Margaret’s 0
Mankato East 16, North Branch 2
Class 2A quarterfinals
WEDNESDAY
Randolph 3, Glencoe-Silver Lake 2
Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 7, Dassel-Cokato 1
St. Cloud Cathedral 2, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 1
Class 1A quarterfinals
WEDNESDAY
New Ulm Cathedral 8, Northome/Kelliher 1
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 10, Moose Lake/Willow River 0
Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 9, Red Lake Falls 7
West Lutheran 14, Blooming Prairie 7
Semifinals
THURSDAY
Class 4A, 2 p.m.
Rosemount (22-4) vs. New Prague (20-3)
Forest Lake (19-4) vs. Rogers (20-3)
Class 3A, 2 p.m.
Cretin-Derham Hall (19-6) vs. St. Francis (19-5)
Winona (20-4) vs. Mankato East (18-6)
Class 2A, 4:30 p.m.
Randolph (25-1) vs. St. Agnes (23-2)
Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial (22-2) vs. St. Cloud Cathedral (23-2)
Class 1A, 4:30 p.m.
New Ulm Cathedral (24-2) vs. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (23-4)
Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley (16-4) vs. West Lutheran (18-4)
Championship games
FRIDAY
Class 4A, 10 a.m.
Class 3A, noon
Class 2A, 2 p.m.
Class 1A, 4 p.m.
. . .
Tournament brackets
Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A | Class 1A
. . .
Tickets
Cost ranges from $8 to $13. Tickets must be purchased online at mshsl.org/tickets.
. . .
Streaming
The Neighborhood Sports Network will stream state tournament games. A subscription is required. Link to the streams here.
. . .
More coverage
The Star Tribune will publish stories and other content related to these state championships and more this week. Keep up by checking startribune.com/preps each day. Thank you for reading and subscribing.
. . .
Tournament information
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