Greyhounds repeat trip to state

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

NORTH MANKATO -- New Ulm Cathedral played one more game than it wanted to en route to returning to the state tournament, but the Greyhounds will take the end result.

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton defeated the Greyhounds 1-0 in the first game, forcing another game since the Bulldogs had to beat Cathedral twice.

But JWP pitcher Heather Johnson's fatigue began to show in the second game, and the Greyhounds got back to playing their brand of softball and defeated JWP 6-0 to advance to the state tournament.

"I just think we wanted it a lot more," Cathedral's Becky Hosna said. "The team chemistry really came together, we all knew the plays to make, so it was good."

While Johnson's stamina was depleting, Cathedral's Julie Seifert pitched perhaps her best game of the season when her team needed it the most, striking out eight and allowing just two hits.

"The first game was kind of a downer for us, so I just got picked back up again," Seifert said. "I just threw them more change-ups, and they definitely were working."

Johnson struck out seven in the first game and was dominant, but she pitched in her fourth game in two days after coming up through the loser's bracket and wasn't nearly as effective in the second game.

"She was definitely slowing down in the second game," Seifert said. "She had really nice drop balls in the second game and we were getting suckered on them. She wasn't throwing as hard in the second game, and we just wanted it a little bit more than they did."

In the first game, both teams played to a scoreless tie before JWP put together a two-out rally in the top of the seventh inning.

Betsy Priem scored from second after Katie Wheelock delivered a single that landed on the line in right field.

Johnson allowed a leadoff single to Kirsten Prunty in the bottom of the seventh, but she retired the next three batters to force a second game.

"I don't think there was much of a difference, it's just after you see her, it was just easier," Prunty said. "We talked about it when we went out in the huddle in the outfield, that [we wanted to] just to look at her better and make sure you get the one you want."

The Greyhounds were more aggressive in the second game and took a 1-0 in the top of the first after Hosna reached on an error and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Hosna scored twice in the second game and reached base three times.

In the third inning, Kyley Hillesheim had an infield single and eventually scored when JWP first baseman Ashley Amundson tried to throw Hillesheim out at third base. The throw was high, and Hillesheim scored Cathedral's second run.

Prunty singled and scored the first of her two runs after Melissa Kraus hit a grounder to short for the force out in the fourth inning.

Cathedral added another run in the fifth when Seifert's sac bunt scored Hosna. Jessica Stadick had an RBI single in the sixth and her courtesy runner, Chelsey Beranek, scored Cathedral's final run.

"I think the first game, we were nervous, and we had our heads up too high thinking that we're just going to play one game," Hillesheim said. "We had more confidence, believed in ourselves and just played like we wanted it."

Cathedral (21-4) will play the Section 7A champion at 1 p.m. Friday at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Regardless of whether they win or lose, they will play again at 7 p.m.