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April 30, 2000
Eagles fall to NorthfieldBy PAUL DUNLAP Journal Sports Editor NORTH MANKATO -- Northfield used two seeing-eye hits to score three runs in the seventh inning Saturday, winning the Kato East Softball Invitational's consolation championship 5-2 over New Ulm at North Mankato's Caswell Park. The Eagles made it to the consolation title game by defeating Buffalo 6-2 earlier in the day. "We played two really good ballgames today," New Ulm coach Jim Pearson said. "The kids played really well all weekend. ... it was just fun to be here." The Raiders would jump on top from the opening batter as Heidi Berg reached on a bunt single, stole second, and came all the way home when catcher Shelly Gramentz's throw went in to center field. That 1-0 lead would hold through the early innings as Northfield pitcher Abby Kalland got the outs when she needed them. In four of the first five innings, the Eagles stranded a runner in scoring position. "In this second game here," Pearson said, "it was a case of us not getting the hit when we needed one -- and they did." Sheena Stueber, called up from the B-squad, would come through for her team with a clutch sixth-inning hit. After Beth Fossum's RBI single gave the Raiders a 2-0 advantage in the top half, Jenny Brandel started off the home half with a walk. She would move to third on a single from Brittany Gorres, and both would come around as Stueber lifted a Kalland offering over the head of left fielder Jill Topp. Suddenly, the game was tied 2-2. New Ulm pitcher Lauren Hofmeister, yielding just six hits through six, would be victimized in the top of the seventh by hits that had eyes. An error allowed Aliina Vivant to reach with one out, and a pair of RBI bloop singles behind the second base bag would put the Raiders on top for good. Emily Larson ended the scoring on a double to left-center. "Those two bloopers hurt," Pearson said. "One of them just died out there, died big time and we didn't get a chance to cover it in time." Kalland would set down the Eagles in order in the bottom of the seventh, the first time that happened in the game as New Ulm stranded seven runners. Kalland ended by scattering eight hits, striking out five and walking two. Hofmeister shouldered the mound loss, yielding nine hits while striking out five and walking one. "The kids played real well, and we're happy about that," Pearson said. "We just looking forward to our game Tuesday." The Eagles (6-2, 5-0) will return to South Central Conference action Tuesday, hosting United South Central, 5 p.m., at Harman Park. NEW ULM 6, BUFFALO 2 The Eagles jumped out with two runs in the first and added four more in the third as they advanced past the Bison despite committing seven errors. Cassie Schultz (5-1) threw a complete-game four-hitter for New Ulm, yielding just one walk while fanning four. Jessie Donovan took the loss for Buffalo, throwing all seven innings. Allison Boddy and Emily Hamann were each 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the win, and Brandel ended 2-for-3 with two RBIs. New Ulm had 10 total hits. NEW ULM 204 000 0 -- 6 10 7 BUFFALO 100 000 1 -- 2 4 4 WP--Schultz, LP--Donovan. NORTHFIELD 100 001 3 -- 5 9 0 NEW ULM 000 002 0 -- 2 8 3 WP--Kalland, LP--Hofmeister. 2B--Stueber (NU), Larson (NO).
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