Huskies edge New Ulm

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- It's always nice to win your last game of the season. But when it's essentially meaningless, and the postseason looms, it's more important just to stay healthy.

So it was no surprise that New Ulm High senior right-hander Lauren Hofmeister didn't finish Friday's nonconference game with the Class 2A No. 4 Jackson County Central Huskies. And it may have cost the Eagles a win as JCC edged New Ulm High 3-2 in nine innings.

"The (section playoffs) begins Monday," Hofmeister said. "I know I need the rest. We're not going to risk anything."

The Huskies' Nicole Hedrick drove in Megan Dunlavey with a sacrifice fly off Jocelyn Janni (1-1) to give JCC a 3-2 lead -- its only lead of the game. Janni came out for the top of the ninth in relief of Hofmeister, who struck out five in eight innings and scattered 11 hits.

"I knew my defense was behind me," Hofmeister said. "They did a great job again. It would've been nice to win the game, but we played our best and I thought it was an awesome game. I still think we can go into the (playoffs) with confidence."

New Ulm High (13-4) will host Monticello in the first round of the Section 2-3A playoffs at 5 p.m. Monday at Harman Park.

Leah Jenson (8-0) went the distance for the Huskies. Jensen allowed only four hits; she did not strike out an Eagles batter.

It was a defensive game through three and one-half innings. JCC got the better of the baserunner count, but the Eagles' defense and a couple of Hofmeister strike outs prevented any damage from being done.

The Huskies had their best early threat in the third. With one out, JCC put runners on first and second. But Hofmeister got herself out of the jam with back-to-back strike outs of Jamie Wheeler and Hedrick -- the Huskies' Nos. 3 and 4 hitters.

Hofmeister won the first round of that battle. The second round went to Wheeler and Hedrick.

The left-handed Wheeler led off the sixth with a single, and Hedrick followed another single.

Wheeler and Hedrick each finished 2-for-4 and scored a run.

Christina Flatebo, who went 3-for-5 to lead the Huskies, lined a single to shallow center to load the bases.

JCC got its first run when Lexi Rossow flied out to center and tied the game at 2-all on Jenson's two-out RBI single up the middle.

New Ulm High picked up run each in the fourth and fifth innings.

Sheena Stueber walked to lead off the fourth and then went to second on an error that allowed Shannon Gorres to reach. Allison Boddy followed with a single that brought home Stueber.

Another lead-off walk by Jenson gave New Ulm High its run in the fifth and a 2-0 lead.

The Eagles had their chance to put the Huskies away in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't capitalize upon three JCC errors. New Ulm High left the bases loaded in the sixth and stranded seven in the game.

Shannon Gorres reached on the first of the three JCC sixth-inning errors. She got erased when Boddy grounded into a fielder's choice.

Boddy advanced to third on two more Huskies errors, but got cut down at the plate by JCC shortstop Tammy Kolander on a Hofmeister grounder. With the bases still full, Jodi Schmidt hit a come-backer to Jenson to end the threat.

The Huskies, who left nine on base, also had their chance to end the game sooner. JCC loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning, getting consecutive singles from Hedrick and Flatebo, and an error, but couldn't push a run across.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, New Ulm High got lead-off batter Brittany Gorres aboard with a walk and moved her to second. But the next two Eagles went down in order.

In the junior varsity game, New Ulm High decisioned JCC 9-3. Vanessa Achman went the distance and allowed two hits, striking out eight.

Rachel Kitzberger went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the Eagles, and Lanndre Thordson went 1-for-2 with three runs scored.

JCC 000 002 001--3 12 4

NUHS 000 110 000--2 4 3

Jenson and Flatebo. Hofmeister, Janni (9) and Williams. W--Jenson 8-0. L--Janni 1-1. HRs--None.