Girls Softball: Day 2 focuses on third-place and consolation games

Consolation finals and third-place games were the focus of Day 2 of the Minnesota State High School League’s Softball State Tournament on Thursday, June 5 at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Earning a trophy, medals and ending the season on a winning note were at stake for 16 teams.

Here is a look at Thursday’s action: 

Class A

Third place

• Bethlehem Academy 2, Braham 0 --- Senior pitcher Morgan Wilson hit a two-run single to right center field in the top of the ninth inning to provide all the offense Bethlehem Academy (18-5) would need to record a 2-0 victory over Braham (23-5) in the third-place game. She also had 12 strikeouts. 

Consolation

• Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 4, Blackduck 1: Senior outfielder Macy Anderson knocked it two runs to help paved the way for Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley’s 4-1 victory in the consolation final. Ninth-grade pitcher Sadie Wright paced the Wolverines (25-2) on the mound by surrendering just two hits while striking out six. Blackduck, making its first appearance in the state tournament, finished the season 23-5.

Class AA

Third place

• Randolph 3, Jackson County Central 1 --- Senior pitcher Carter Raymond, sophomore third baseman Paige Otte and sophomore shortstop Mackenzie Murray all had a run batted in to send Randolph (25-2) to a 3-1 victory over Jackson County Central (23-6) in the third-place game. 

Consolation

• Spectrum 1, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 0 --- Eighth-grade third baseman Ella Burquest was 2 for 3, including an RBI double down the left field line in the top of the second inning to spark No. 5 Spectrum (22-1) to a 1-0 victory over Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial in the consolation final. Junior pitcher Addison Wallschlaeger tossed a one hitter and struck out 11 for Spectrum, an Elk River-based charter school making its state tournament debut. Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial finished the season 24-4.

Class AAA

Third place

• Mankato East 2, Chisago Lakes 1: Junior shortstop Emily Hacker and senior pitcher Kylinn Stangl each had a run batted in during a two-run sixth inning that sparked Mankato East to a 2-1 victory over Chisago Lakes in the third-place game. The top-seeded Cougars (22-5) entered the state tournament as the favorite to claim the Class AAA crown for the third consecutive season, but were upended by Rocori in Wednesday’s semifinals. Chisago Lakes (20-6), the No. 2 seed, had an RBI from senior Anna Zaruba.   

Consolation

• Cretin-Derham Hall 2, Becker 0 --- Senior pitcher Brooke Nesdahl had two runs batted in to fuel Cretin-Derham Hall’s season-ending victory over Becker in the consolation final. From the pitching circle, she limited Becker to three hits while striking out 11. The Raiders finish the season 15-12 while Becker wrapped up the year 17-11.

Class AAAA

Third place

• Forest Lake 7, White Bear Lake 2: Junior third baseman Isabella Dowdell hit a three-run home run in the second inning to set the tone in Forest Lake’s 7-2 victory over White Bear Lake for the third-place trophy. Junior pitcher Avery Muellner had a home run and two runs batted in to help the top-seeded Rangers (24-2) bounce back from a semifinal loss to Bloomington Jefferson. It was the third time this season that Forest Lake had defeated White Bear Lake (19-8). The other victories came during the Suburban East Conference schedule. 

Consolation

• Farmington 9, Edina 0 --- Junior pitcher Kayla Schweich was a dominant force from the circle and at the plate in powering the Tigers (24-3) to a 9-0 victory over the Hornets in the consolation final. She was 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and then silenced Edina (16-11) by tossing a no-hitter with seven strikeouts. 

With these games completed, the focus of the tournament now becomes the inaugural Prep Softball Championship Series on Friday, June 6 at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium on the University of Minnesota Campus. Here are those championship matchups:

Class AAAA

• No. 4 Bloomington Jefferson (25-2) vs. No. 2 Champlin Park (23-2), 9 a.m.

Class AAA

• No. 5 Rocori (19-5) vs. No. 6 Byron (17-6), 11:30 a.m.

Class AA

• No. 4 St. Cloud Cathedral (25-2) vs. No. 6 Hawley (27-2), 4 p.m.

Class A

• No. 1 United South Central (25-1) vs. No. 6 Badger/Greenbush-Middle River (21-6), 6:30 p.m.