The NRHEG High School softball team continued a successful spring, posting four consecutive victories in recent play.
The Panthers hung a 32-0 embarrassment on Medford April 20, defeated Bethlehem Academy 7-5 on April 28 and swept United South Central in a doubleheader April 30, improving their record to 6-1 in the Gopher Conference and 6-2 overall.
NRHEG 32, Medford 0
With a 1-0 lead in the second inning, Kelli Harrington hit a three-run inside-the-park home run that sailed over the left fielder’s head at Medford.
The Panthers opened the game up after that with some key hits and a dominating display on the base paths. The Tigers struggled to throw strikes for the entirety of the game, finishing with 23 walks.Harrington finished 3-for-4 with five RBIs and four runs scored. Rachel Collins was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs, Ryann Hagen 2-for-2 with four runs, Torrie Stencel 2-for-4 with five runs, Alyssa Esplan 2-for-5 with four runs. Adding one hit each were Kayley Camerer, Jade Peterson and Grace Johnson. Peterson scored four runs.
Anna Lundberg pitched well in the five-inning victory, giving up one hit while striking out eight and walking two.
NRHEG 7, Bethlehem Academy 5
The Cardinals started fast with a leadoff home run, but the Panthers quickly came back with three runs in the first and two in the second at New Richland’s Legion Field.
Harrington and Anna Stork delivered solid, key hits for the Panthers to start it off and set the tone for the game. Lundberg also had a key hit while battling out of some tough innings on the mound.
BA rallied for two runs, but the Panthers defense held on by making key plays, including a great catch and double play in the third inning by Esplan and Harrington throwing out a baserunner at the plate in the sixth.
Johns was 2-for-3, Harrington 2-for-4, Stork 2-for-4. Esplan, Hagen, Collins and Lundberg added one hit apiece.
Lundberg pitched all seven innings, surviving nine walks while giving up three earned runs on seven hits. She struck out five.
NRHEG 4, USC 1
Aggressiveness on the base paths allowed the Panthers to score one run apiece in the first three innings at Wells.
From there, Lundberg shined.
“She did a great job throwing strikes and forcing USC's hitters to earn their way on,” said Panthers coach Coy Hupfeld.
At the plate, Collins proved to be very pesky for USC infielders. She drove in a run and scored twice thanks to two stolen bases and heads-up baserunning. Harrington, Stork and Peterson had the Panthers’ other hits.
NRHEG 24, USC 7
Every player made a great contribution to a team victory.
Going into the bottom of the fourth leading 5-4, NRHEG powered to a 15-run inning. USC did not have much of an answer as each player in the fourth found a way to get on base.
Every NRHEG player earned at least one hit. Two key players who kept the bats and innings alive were Camerer, who went 4-4 with four RBIs and three runs, and Johns, who bounced back from a rough game one while going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs. Peterson was 3-for-4, Harrington 3-for-5, Stork 2-for-4, Esplan 2-for-4. Stork and Hagen scored four runs each.
Natalie Aaseth earned her first varsity win as a pitcher.
“She did a fantastic job at battling through some tough innings and did not allow USC a chance of getting back in the game,” said Hupfeld.