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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
State Softball Tournament
St. Paul, MN
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By: Tom Carothers
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Photo(s) By: Tom Carothers
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Stormy skies and unrelenting winds could do little to dampen the spirit of a trio of first-time state champions at the softball state tournament at Caswell Park in North Mankato, June 6-7. Eagan, Orono and New Life Academy each celebrated their respective Class AAA, AA and A titles after two days of competition.
Eagan wins Class AAA championship
Eagan was making its first appearance at state, fifth overall, since finishing as the Class AA runner-up during the days of a two-class tournament in 1996.
Eagan had little trouble with Hopkins in the tourney opener as pitcher Sara Moulton allowed just two hits, while striking out 10, in a 3-0 victory. Catcher Kelly Wood went 2-for-3 with one run batted in to lead the Wildcats’ offense.
It would not come so easy for Eagan in the semifinals, as Osseo proved to be a formidable opponent scoring the first two runs of the game before the Wildcats came charging back.
Moulton’s fourth-inning double scored third baseman Kaylyn Korth to bring Eagan within a run at 2-1, then Kyndra Beekman would come home on a wild pitch to tie the game in the sixth and eventually send the contest into extra innings.
The score would remain tied until the 10th inning when centerfielder Bree Blanchette doubled and then scored on first baseman Emily Bodeker’s one-out single to make a victor out of Moulton, who struck out 14 Orioles in the two-hour plus contest.
It would be as difficult as the tournament would get for Eagan, as the Wildcats found their bats in time for a 14-1 championship game thumping of de-facto host Mankato West.
The Wildcats needed just six innings to lay claim to their inaugural state championship as six Eagan players —Korth, Bodeker, Wood, Moulton, second baseman Paige Ashton and designated player Brittney Erdman — collected two hits apiece.
Eagan led 5-1 through five innings, thanks in part to a second inning home run from rightfielder Erin Tjornhom. The Wildcats (21-2) really settled matters by stringing together eight hits in a nine-run sixth to finish the game before raising aloft their first championship trophy.
Orono takes first Class AA title
Orono, making their second state trip, won their first title by claiming Class AA honors with a victory over defending champion Pipestone.
Spartans pitcher Chelsey Durand established a new state record by striking out 22 batters as Orono outlasted Maple River, 1-0, in 12 innings to take the opener.
Durand would have a hand in the game-winning run by coaxing a leadoff walk to start the 12th, before being replaced by pinch runner Erin Lucas. Lucas would score the triumphant tally on a single by designated player Gennie Bunting to send the Spartans to the semifinals.
No such drama in round two as Orono shutout Becker, 6-0, behind a 10-strikeout three-hitter from Durand, who also went 2-for-4 at the plate with one RBI. Bunting went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored as the Spartans advanced to play the defending Class AA champion, Pipestone, for all the marbles.
Things looked good for Orono in the final as the Spartans took a 4-0 lead by the end of the third inning, which was punctuated by Bunting’s two-out, three-RBI double that plated Lucas, third baseman Megan Matson and shortstop Laura Randall. However, the Arrows were not ready to go quietly into the windswept night, as they drew to within a run (4-3) by scoring once in each of the next three innings.
Pipestone could not muster the tying run, however, as Durand coaxed two groundouts and her seventh strikeout of the match as Orono (28-1) claimed its spot atop the Class AA softball world.
New Life claims Class A title
New Life Academy also claimed its first title in its third consecutive tournament trip. In fact, the 2008 softball championship was the first-ever state crown earned for the small Woodbury-based school in any sport.
New Life would win the title on the second of two no-hitters from pitcher Danielle Schmidt, as the first of the junior’s “no-no’s” came on the other end of tourney play — the opener.
The Eagles entered the Class A bracket by shutting out Chatfield, 2-0, behind Schmidt’s no-hit, two-walk, 15-strikeout effort and RBI hits from catcher Jordan Miller and Schmidt.
While the Wabasso Rabbits would manage a hit against Schmidt, a third-inning single, they could not put up much of a fight as the Eagles tallied 10 hits in a 9-0 semi-final victory.
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