Loyola jumps out on Rabbits, ends repeat bid

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

NORTH MANKATO -- There will be a new state champion in Class 1A softball for the 2000 season.

Mankato Loyola jumped out with five first-inning runs Friday, spoiling Wabasso's repeat bid with a 12-1 win in state semifinal action at North Mankato's Caswell Park.

The Crusaders (22-6) will now face St. Bernard's for the state title at 10 a.m. today, the same time the Rabbits (22-7) will be taking on Ogilvie in the third-place game.

The Rabbits defeated Houston 4-3 in quarterfinal action earlier in the day.

"Loyola's a good ball team," Wabasso coach John VanLoy said. "We knew they were good, had good pitching, but we just fell apart."

That was evident in the first inning as two Rabbit errors opened the door for a big inning. Jessica Hendrickson had a two-run single to start the scoring, and an error plus some aggressive baserunning soon made the score 5-0.

"We did not execute ... at all," VanLoy said. "It didn't seem to matter where the ball was hit -- a grounder in the infield when we were up, we couldn't throw home. If (a runner) was dead to rights at third, we couldn't catch it there. We had horrible execution, and when (the Crusaders) get five in the first it's hard to stay in the game after that."

Molly Biehn made the score 7-0 in the second off losing pitcher Angela Schumacher, driving an offering up into the wind and over the left-center field fence. Rabbit right fielder Casey Price made a valiant effort, tumbling over the wall with the ball in her glove before dropping it as she hit the ground.

Amanda Frank relieved Schumacher after three innings, holding Loyola to one run through the sixth.

"Amanda did exactly what I wanted her to do," VanLoy said. "She changed speeds, threw that knuckleball of hers, and tried to off-set this thing a little bit. If we could have chipped away with a run here or there we could have gotten back into it, but it wasn't meant to be, I guess."

Crusader hurler Lindsay Mamer had Wabasso guessing throughout the first five frames. After Tiffany Froelich led off the game with an infield single, Mamer retired the next 14 batters in order before Alissa Ricketts' one-out walk in the fifth.

"We just couldn't get the bats going," VanLoy said. "When you're here (at state), you have to hit to win."

Annie Moore finally cracked Mamer when she laced a triple to right-center, scoring the lone Rabbit run on a Schumacher ground out to third. Loyola, after making the score 8-0 in the top of the sixth, finished the game off with a four-run seventh, including Katie Bloodgood's two-run single to center.

Mamer finished with a three-hit gem, striking out 10 and walking one. Schumacher shouldered the loss as she yielded seven runs on four hits in the first three innings.

"I told (the team) to forget about it," VanLoy said. "I don't want them thinking about it anymore because (today) we play for third place in the state. Third place is nothing to sneeze at."

WABASSO 4, HOUSTON 3

The Rabbits finally solved pitcher Michelle Knutson, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to steal the quarterfinal victory from the Hurricanes.

"They (Houston) fell apart a little bit," VanLoy said. "It's hard not to be nervous here (at state), and we just took advantage."

Knutson didn't yield a hit through the first 4 2/3 innings, and it looked as though the three runs the Hurricanes posted in the top of the third would hold up. Moore finally broke through with a single in the fifth, and that seemed to open the floodgates as Wabasso began to make things happen.

"Nobody was striking out," VanLoy said. "We were putting the ball in play, so we were hoping we could buy a break, put a little pressure on (Houston), and see what happens."

After leaving the bases loaded in the fifth, Julie Rohlik opened the sixth with a sharp double to center. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Jessica VanLoy ground out to get the Rabbits on the board.

As Knutson began to unravel, Wabasso pitcher Schumacher was settling down and getting outs. Schumacher retired the final seven Hurricane batters she faced, and held the game close until the Rabbits' heroics in the final frame.

Two hits sandwiched around a fielder's choice loaded the bases with no one out before Houston recorded the first out on a play at the plate. Moore would pull her team within a run as she beat the throw home on a Holly Altermatt ground ball, and Schumacher would take advantage of a Knutson wild pitch to knot the game at 3-3. Rohlik then stepped to the plate and delivered her second hit of the game to score Frank with the game-winner.

"We had the leadoff hitter (Froelich) up ... I couldn't ask for a sweeter spot to be in," John VanLoy said. "Then to come through with hits and bunts that worked to win the game -- it was really nice to see."

1st Game

HOUSTON 003 000 0 -- 3 7 3

WABASSO 000 001 3 -- 4 6 2

W--Schumacher. L--Knutson. 2B--Wabasso, Rohlik.

2nd Game

MKTO LOYOLA 520 001 4 -- 12 8 0

WABASSO 000 001 0 -- 1 3 3

W--Mamer. L--Schumacher. 3B--Wabasso, Moore . HR--Loyola, Biehn.