Like their baseball counterparts, the NRHEG softball Panthers just didn’t want their season to end.
The Panthers, while being knocked out of the winner’s bracket by top-seeded LeSueur-Henderson, won three times in last week’s Section 2AA tournament to remain alive in the double-elimination event.
The Panthers, 21-3, defeated LCWM 6-4 Tuesday, and went on to lose a heartbreaker, 1-0, to Belle Plaine later that evening at Caswell Park in Mankato. Belle Plaine will meet LSH for the section title and possible state tournament berth.
The Panthers finished with a 22-4 record and graduated three seniors: Cloie Arndt, Grace Tufte, and Anna Jacobson. Full game summaries from Tuesday’s games and a season wrap up will run in next week’s Star Eagle.
The Panthers opened the tourney with a 10-0 blowout of visiting Blue Earth Area Tuesday, June 1.
Sophie Stork allowed one hit over seven innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Faith Neilsen was 2-4 with six RBIs and two stolen bases, Tufte 2-3 with three stolen bases, Sidney Schultz 2-4 with three stolen bases, Stork 2-4 with two RBIs. Arndt, Bree Ihrke, Hallie Schultz and Brenlee Knudson had one hit each. Kylie Doyle drew four walks and scored twice.
The Panthers stunned Cannon Falls 4-3 Thursday, June 3, scoring three times in the top of the seventh.
“Words cannot express how proud I am of these girls and their never-give-up attitude,” said coach Wendy Schultz. “They fought hard to win this game.”
Jacobson started the fateful seventh with a single. Neilsen sacrificed her to second. Ihrke singled, scoring Jacobson. After a Sidney Schultz infield fly advanced both baserunners, Hallie Schultz was intentionally walked to load the bases. After falling behind 0-2, Stork delivered the game-winning hit with a shot between third base and shortstop.
“It was so exciting!” said Coach Schultz.
Stork gave up two earned runs on five hits, fanning four and walking one intentionally.
Stork, Ihrke, Jacobson, Sidney Schultz, Neilsen and Knudson had one hit each for NRHEG.
Game three of the tournament was not a typical one for the Panthers this season, who dropped only their third game in being blanked 11-0 by LSH at a steamy Caswell Park in Mankato Saturday, June 5. Ihrke had the lone hit. Stork gave up four earned runs on 10 hits, with three strikeouts and no walks.
“The girls played great the first four innings,” said Coach Schultz. “We hit a few bumps in innings five and six, committing four errors. Against a team like LSH, you need to play error-free. Hats off to LSH. They played well.”
The loss gave the Panthers a 4 p.m. matchup with Maple River, which they dispatched 7-1.
Stork scattered seven hits, striking out four and walking one.
Knudson was 3-3 with a double and two runs, Stork 2-3 with a double and two RBIS, Sidney Schultz 2-4 with two runs. Nielsen tripled and drove in three runs. Grace Tufte and Hallie Schultz also hit safely.
“The girls bounced back,” said Coach Schultz. “This was a complete team win. We got the bats going right away. As a team, we hit much better in this game. The girls had many balls hit to them defensively and they made the plays. I’m so proud of the way the girls played in the oppressive heat conditions.”