Rabbits pull through

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- Less than a half hour after Wabasso arrived on the field at Minnesota Valley Lutheran, the Rabbits were down 2-0; it took just one inning for the teams to reverse places in Wabasso's 7-3 Tomahawk win Monday.

The Wabasso girls didn't start the night well, getting off the bus at 4:30 p.m. for a 4:45 game and didn't play like themselves until later in the game, according to coach John VanLoy.

In the second inning, the Chargers took encouragement from a 2-0 lead. An Angie Meyer hit, a sac bunt by Janet Duehlmeyer and two Wabasso errors allowed MVL their advantage.

"When we make mistakes, I think as a team, we drag our heads a little," Wabasso's Bridgette Grunewald said. "But we have confidence in each other and bring each other up. I was like 'Come on ladies ... I know we've got the ability to beat these guys.'"

The Rabbits got it together and it all fell apart for the Chargers in the fifth inning.

Meyer, the MVL third baseman, snagged a line drive to third, and Duehlmeyer, who relieved starter Alyssa Michels, struck out Jamie Guetter, the 11th batter of the inning. But other than that, it was all Wabasso.

First, Grunewald launched the ball over left fielder Nicki Flygare's head, scoring Jamie Guetter from first.

"All I heard was the ball hit the bat," Grunewald said. "It felt really good. Once someone does that, it gets the team going -- we were feeling the game."

Then, Andrea Fennern walked after running the pitch count for the at-bat to 15. Two Charger errors also worked for the Rabbits. Two scored on Katie Schumacher's shot to left field that popped out of Flygare's glove, putting Schumacher in scoring position.

Wabasso ended the fifth up 7-2.

"We let them get to us in the fifth inning," MVL coach Julie Detjen said. "I think they were just getting accustomed to Alyssa's velocity and made good pitch selections. There were two fly balls that were dropped, and maybe there were a couple of people who started to doubt."

In the sixth inning, MVL was able to get one runner in after Wabasso catcher Jessica VanLoy's throw to third base went into left field, allowing Katie Ahrenstorff to score. The Rabbits were able to hold off the Chargers after that.

"We didn't go down without a fight, which was different from the first time we played them," Detjen said. The Chargers lost to Wabasso 10-0 in their first matchup. "When Janet came in, she did a good job and didn't let the first game she pitched against them get to her."

Monday, Duehlmeyer went 2 2/3 innings, striking out two and giving up one hit. Michels took the loss, going 4 1/3 inning, giving up seven runs, three hits and three walks, hitting two batters.

For Wabasso, Katelyn Rohlik went the distance, walking four, striking out two and hitting one. She gave up one hit and three runs.

The Rabbits (13-1, 10-1) play at McLeod West Thursday and MVL (9-4, 6-4) hosts Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop in a doubleheader Thursday.