Seifert, CHS no-hits Chargers

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Julie Seifert threw a no-hitter for Cathedral and was backed up on offense with hot bats as the Greyhounds defeated Minnesota Valley Lutheran 10-0 in the second round of the Section 2A North Subsection Thursday.

"It felt really awesome -- pitching was comfortable," Seifert said. "And my catcher was making some really good calls. My change-up was working well -- I felt really on."

The only MVL player Seifert allowed on base was catcher Allie Krenz, who took a walk, but was unable to make it past first base.

"Our girls were gassed after the first game," MVL coach Julie Detjen said. "I think we were up for getting past Cleveland just to get to this game.

"Julie [Seifert] was doing an excellent job -- she was throwing heat and kept our batters on their heels," Detjen said.

For four innings, the Chargers held their own and played the Greyhounds close, keeping Cathedral to two runs in the second inning. Then, things began to fall apart as the Cathedral bats heated up in the fifth inning.

Liesl Genelin had a leadoff walk and was pushed ahead with a Nikki Fischer single. Then Julie Seifert came up with a two-RBI single and was followed by two more singles by Shelly Waibel and Jessica Stadick, who all scored. In all, Cathedral had five runs in the fifth to take a 7-0 lead.

"We were on a streak -- the first game was that way too," said Fischer, who went 3-3, scoring three runs. "Going into the game, we knew we beat them twice, but it's easier for them to come in as the underdogs.

"But a lot of good plays brought our self esteem up," she said. "There were so many nice plays and the little things to be done that were done that brought everything together for the win."

The girls kept up the intensity in the sixth inning as Kelly Kuehn got on base thanks to an MVL error at short and advanced on a passed ball. Fischer then hit another single to drive her home, and Seifert hit a single to drive Fischer home. Seifert put the game away when a throw from MVL's Krenz, which was intended to catch her off of third base, hit her in the hand and rolled away, allowing her to make it home.

"We were really hitting extremely well," Seifert said. "We were taking good pitches and hitting where they weren't, and then we were smart at baserunning."

Aside from Fischer, leading hitters for Cathedral were Seifert, who was 3-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs, Waibel, who was 1-3 with a run scored, and Stadick, who was 1-2 with a run scored.

With the win in the first game in the double-elimination tournament, MVL now moves into the loser's bracket and will play Sleepy Eye, which lost to Sleepy Eye St. Mary's Thursday, at 11 a.m. Saturday at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

In Cathedral's first game, they beat Buffalo Lake-Hector 15-2 in five innings.

Sam Bode threw a two-hitter, as Seifert went 2-2 with four RBI, Gieseke was 3-3 with two triples and four RBI, and Stadick was 3-4.

Cathedral (19-3) will challenge St. Mary's at 11 a.m. Saturday at Caswell Park as well.