NUHS tops Litchfield,

loses to Mankato West

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

NORTH MANKATO -- The New Ulm High softball team proved something Thursday evening.

The Eagles can play with any team in Section 2-3A.

Top-seeded Mankato East needed to score a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to eclipse New Ulm 5-4 in semifinal action at North Mankato's Caswell Park. The Cougars (22-1) to move on to face rival Mankato West today, 5 p.m., in winner's bracket action while the Eagles (15-5) will take on Willmar in loser's bracket play, also today, 5 p.m., at Caswell.

"It was a good ballgame for us," New Ulm coach Jim Pearson said of the loss to East. "It's about like our (then Class 3A top-ranked) Minnetonka game earlier this year, when we took a highly-rated team down to the final out. Our kids played really well tonight. ... We're proud of what they did."

Earlier in the day the Eagles advanced to the semis with a 6-0 shut-out win of Litchfield.

New Ulm was able to draw first blood against Class 3A No. 3 East, scoring a single run in the top of the third as Alisha Witt singled, was sacrificed to second, took third on a Christine Wendinger infield hit and scored on an Allison Boddy base hit to center.

That lead didn't last long as the Cougars took the lead in the bottom half as a throwing error allowed both Sara Rinehart and Briggs Rolfsrud to come across. East then took a 3-1 edge in the fourth on a Celeste Hawker RBI single that scored Elin Peterson.

The Eagles, however, weren't about to go away quietly.

Wendinger reached on a fielder's choice with one out in the fifth, and Boddy followed by coaxing a walk from East hurler Kelly Terrell. Catcher Nikki Williams then delivered the big blow with a two-run double to right-center, eventually scoring the go-ahead run on two Terrell wild pitches.

"It was nice the way we battled back against a good team," Pearson said.

Down a run, the Cougars were able to scratch one out in the bottom of the fifth as Rolfsrud reached on an error, stole second, took third on a Lauren Hofmeister wild pitch, and scored on an Elizabeth Landwehr sacrifice fly to center.

Terrell retired the last eight batters she faced, setting the Cougars up for the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. Ashley Mitchell started things with a base hit off eventual losing pitcher Jocelyn Janni, and an infield single plus a fielder's choice loaded the bases with one out. Mitchell would score the winning run when Williams was unable to hold on to a low throw for a force out at the plate.

"We told our kids before the game that you just can't make mistakes in a close ballgame," Pearson said. "The team with the fewest (mistakes) will come out with the victory and ... I don't know if we made too many. Just enough, I guess."

Janni was tagged with the loss as she threw the final two innings in relief of Hofmeister. Terrell went the distance to pick up the win for East.

NEW ULM 6, LITCHFIELD 0

Hofmeister and Janni combined on a no-hitter as New Ulm scored five first-inning runs en route to the shut-out win.

"The kids were pumped up, you could tell in that first inning," Pearson said. "The kids were fired up and ready to go, and they came through for themselves."

That was evident in the bottom of the first as the Eagles batted around, getting six hits in the frame. Boddy and Hofmeister each came through with clutch two-run singles, and Meghan Reedy's base hit to center scored courtesy runner Jodi Schmidt for the five-run cushion.

"It was infectious that first inning, I think," Pearson said of his team's hitting. "The kids just started hitting, and hitting, and hitting ... it was fun to watch them perform."

Hofmeister -- who struck out two -- retired the first 10 Dragon batters before pitcher Lindsey Mathwig reached on a walk, but no Litchfield runner advanced past second base. Janni threw the final two frames, fanning two batters as well.

"Lauren kept (Litchfield) off-stride, and she had a bunch of pitches working for her," Pearson said. "(Janni) did OK too, did a nice job so we could rest Lauren for the next game (against East)."

Reedy and Hofmeister led the nine-hit attack with a pair of singles apiece. New Ulm's final run came in the fourth as Brittany Gorres walked, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Hofmeister's base hit to right.

Game 1

Litchfield 000 000 0--0 0 1

New Ulm 500 100 0--6 9 1

WP-Hofmeister, LP-Mathwig.

Game 2

New Ulm 001 030 0--4 7 4

Mkto East 002 110 1--5 6 0

WP-Terrell, LP-Janni. 2B-Williams (NU), Peterson (ME).