Greyhounds sweep Wabasso

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- And they say history never repeats.

For the second straight year, New Ulm Cathedral and Wabasso met late in the season with the Tomahawk Conference title on the line. A year ago, Cathedral trailed in both games, but managed to sweep the Rabbits in what was the turning point of a state championship season.

On Thursday, the two squared-off at Harman park with identical 12-2 records in the conference.

And like last year, the Greyhounds swept the Rabbits by scores of 7-5 and 5-1 to win the conference title outright.

Julie Seifert picked up the win in both games. In the first game, she walked three and gave up four hits. She struck out two. In the second game, she walked four and struck out three, allowing three hits.

"Julie pitched two great games, and she was helped by her defense," Cathedral coach Bob Mertz said. "It was just a fantastic win for us. To do this in our home park. I can't say enough how proud I am of this group here."

In the first game, it was deja vu for the Rabbits as they took a 5-0 lead thanks to a Jessica VanLoy triple that scored two. The Rabbits scored one run in the second and four more in the third, but their luck ended after the third.

"We didn't get hits," Wabasso coach John VanLoy. "She wasn't striking anyone out, so we were hitting the ball. We weren't getting the breaks like we were earlier. We just let them back in. There's no possible way that we should've gotten beat in that game."

The Greyhounds scored twice in the bottom of the third, but Katelyn Rohlik got out of a bases-loaded jam.

Cathedral scored two more in the bottom of the fourth to climb within one and shift the momentum their way.

Then, in the bottom of the fifth, Melissa Krause drilled a Rohlik offering over the head of Wabasso left fielder Andrea Fennern. The ball was hit hard enough for Krause to score for a 3-run home run.

"We've really come together, and it was right down the line one through nine," Mertz said.

"Mel, that big hit that she got for us in the first game -- you see so many slappers in our lineup, and she's not a slapper, she's a natural left-hander, and they move in a little too far because they think she's a slapper," he said. "She got the biggest hit of her career. What a great hit for a senior."

Seifert set the Rabbits down in order in the last four innings.

"I just told them that we just need to get one or two runs per inning -- don't go for the whole ball of wax -- lets peck away a little bit," Mertz said. We got those two, and then we got two more, and I could see the pressure was on them. And then we got great defense and a few more hits, and it all snowballed."

Kyley Hillesheim went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Jessica VanLoy went 2-for-3 with a triple.

In the second game, the Greyhounds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second and scored twice more in the top of the third. Nikki Fischer, who went 2-for-4, had an RBI single in the third.

Cathedral scored once more in the fifth when Becky Hosna scored on a suicide squeeze by Seifert and Jenna Schugel scored the teams fifth run on a passed ball.

Fennern scored the lone Wabasso run in the fourth when Brittney Eis singled her in.

The Rabbits finished the regular season 16-4 overall and 12-4 in the conference, but with three straight losses.

"We're struggling a little bit right now, but you'll have that," John VanLoy said. "I guess for us, we figure our season's done, so it's time to start a new one."

The Wabasso B-squad won a pair of games 3-1 and 11-10. Sara Berg took the loss in the first game and she also had a double. Kayla Larson was 1-for-1 with an RBI in the first game.

In the second game, the Rabbits scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh for the win. Heidi Mertz had a double and three RBI and Amber Grausam had two RBIs. Meghan Schwartz took the loss. She gave up six hits and walked nine. She struck out seven.

Cathedral hosts the winner of Nicollet and Buffalo Lake-Hector at 7 p.m. Tuesday.