Softball roundup: LQPV advances to Section 3A final
Jun. 1—COTTONWOOD — The Lac qui Parle Valley softball team remains alive in the Section 3A playoffs.
The Eagles beat Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 7-2 in an elimination game Tuesday at Lakeview High School.
LQPV plays Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Marshall Softball Complex in the Section 3A's championship bracket. The Eagles must beat Edgerton twice to advance to the state Class A tournament.
T-M-B beat Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 16-8 to earn the game against LQPV.
LQPV's Rylee Lund led the way. She went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBIs. Kendyl Shelstad was 2-for-3 with a double, a run and a walk for the Eagles, who broke a 3-1 lead open with four runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Rylee Sawatzky got the pitching victory, striking out four and walking one in a complete-game effort. She allowed eight hits and two earned runs.
Margaret Dolan was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, a run and an RBI for the Panthers.
LQPV 200 014 0-7 8 0
TMB 001 001 0-2 8 2
Hitting — Lac qui Parle Valley: Rylee Lund 3-4 r rbi-3, Rylee Sawatzky 1-4 3b r rbi, Tori Bungarden 1-2 rbi, Kendyl Shelstad 2-3 2b r bb, Isabel Gerdes 1-2 r-2 rbi ... Tracy-Milroy-Balaton: Grace Dolan 1-4 r, Margaret Dolan 3-3 2b 3b r rbi, Kiarra Danielson 1-3, Camille Dolan 1-3 2b rbi, K. Edwards 1-3, Amber Hensch 1-2
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — Lac qui Parle Valley: Rylee Sawatzky (W) 7-8-2-2-1-4 ... Tracy-Milroy-Balaton: Margaret Dolan (L) 7-8-7-6-4-1
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton pieced together nine runs on six hits in the top of the first inning to propel the Panthers past Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg in a Section 3A elimination game at Lakeview High School in Cottonwood.
"They just came out hitting the ball; some of them were just out of reach," said Fighting Saints head coach Eileen Suter. "Two hit the (foul) line just right behind first (base)."
Hailey Gerenentz was 4-for-4 for TMB. Grace Dolan, Margaret Dolan, Kiarra Danielson, Camille Dolan and Amber Hensch each had two hits for the Panthers.
Putting together 14 hits of their own, the Fighting Saints got a 3-for-4 performance from Josie Gjerde. She had a double and four RBIs. Shakira Olson, Katlyn Peters, Avery Joyce and Grace Collins all had two hits for KMS.
KMS wraps up the regular season with a 16-8 record.
"I'm pleased with 16-8," Suter said. "It's a good season. There's some good teams in our section and our conference was definitely better this year. I'll take it."
T-M-B 922 120 0-16 17 1
KMS 003 401 0-8 14 7
Hitting — T-M-B: Kamryn Peterson 1-4, Grace Dolan 2-4 3b, Margaret Dolan 2-4, Kiarra Danielson 2-5 2b, Camille Dolan 2-3, Hailey Gerenentz 4-4 2b, Emma Edwards 1-4, Amber Hensch 2-5 2b 3b, Jordyn Hanson 1-4 ... KMS: Shakira Olson 2-5, Josie Gjerde 3-4 2b rbi-4, Katlyn Peters 2-5 2b, Avery Joyce 2-4 rbi, Emily Wagner 1-3, Grace Collins 2-3 2b, Kya Oaks 1-2.
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — T-M-B: Margaret Dolan (W) 7-14-8-7-4-3 ... KMS: Maddy Anderson (L) 1.1-7-10-10-3-1, Taylor VanHeuveln 5.2-7-6-6-2-1
Needing eight innings, Litchfield kept its season alive by beating Wright County Conference rival Dassel-Cokato in an elimination game at the Marshall Softball Complex.
With a spot in the Section 3AA championship on the line, Luverne held off Litchfield to get the win in the elimination bracket at the Marshall Softball Complex.
The Dragons wrap up the season with a 12-14 record.
