Wolverine softball sweep doubleheader with Bemidji

VIRGINIA—The Rock Ridge softball team welcomed in Class 4A Bemidji on Tuesday for a doubleheader and it didn’t take long for the Wolverines to grab a lead and run away with things as they downed the Lumberjacks 10-1 in the first game and 10-0 in game two.

With sophomore Taylor Morley in the pitcher’s circle for the Wolverines, hits were hard to come by for Bemidji in the first game. Giving up a leadoff single to the ‘Jacks Jordan Pemberton, Morley was solid through the rest of the inning, striking out three to end the threat and then two more in a quick 1-2-3 top of the second inning.

The Wolverines got things going offensively in the bottom of the second, starting with a double to right-center field fence from senior Alex Flannigan off of Bemidji pitcher Aleah Shogren. An out later, Kylie Marolt reached on an error that allowed her to take second while Flannigan moved to third. The lead runner was brought home when Morley flew out to left field, allowing Flannigan to tag up and score.

Morley flew through the top of the third inning with two more strikeouts and the Wolverines added to their lead in the home half of the inning.

Chance Colbert got the inning started with a single to left field and then stole second with Mattelyn Seppi at the plate. An out later, she came home to score when Emma Lamppa hit a single past the Bemidji shortstop that dribbled into left field. Lamppa was able to advance to second on the throw to home that wasn’t in time.

An out later, Flannigan came up to bat and came through once more, knocking a single to right to score Lamppa, making it a 3-0 game after three.

Bemidji put their lone run of the series on the board in the top of the fourth.Olivia Birt doubled down to the right field line with two outs and then came in to score after a fielding error from the Wolverines.

But that one mistake wasn’t enough to derail Rock Ridge’s game as they piled on the runs in the bottom of the fourth, crossing home plate five times.

“If we have a couple of defensive mistakes, it’s OK,” Rock Ridge head coach Paula Dundas said. “If we make one, it’s only been one. It’s not been two or three or four. Mistakes are going to happen, people are hitting the ball hard to us. We’re still learning. A lot of these girls have been playing softball for 10 years but they’re still learning. Getting great pitching early and building up that cushion lets us play a little bit more relaxed.”

The Wolverines had it all come together with two outs, starting with a double to center from Colbert. Seppi reached safely on a ball four/passed ball that moved Colbert to third. Seppi stole second and Colbert came in to score when Lamppa etched an infield single, 4-1.

Two more runs came in when Anna Westby picked up her first hit of the day, a triple that made its way back to the right field fence. Now on third, Westby came home when Flannigan ripped a triple of her own down the right field line, 7-1.

Rock Ridge capped off the inning with one more run coming in courtesy of Brooklyn Smith, who reached safely to first on a throwing error from the Lumberjacks, 8-1.

Shogren was chased out of the game after the fourth inning with Maya Schmidt coming in to replace her.

The Wolverines tacked on another run in the fifth. Morley reached on an error, took second on a passed ball and then moved to third off a single from Colbert. An infield single from Lamppa drove the pitcher home, 9-1.

Rock Ridge closed out the scoring in the bottom of the sixth. Kylie Marolt knocked a single through the left gap with one out. A fielder’s choice moved her to second and she came in to score when Zoey Thyen landed a single into right field, 10-1.

Marissa Anderson came in to pitch the seventh inning for the Wolverines in relief of Morley and faced just four batters to help secure the win for the Wolverines.

After the game, Dundas had to commend both the hitting from the Wolverines and the solid pitching from Morley that helped set the tone or the team early on.

“Right now, they seem to be hitting the ball well and it’s working top to bottom. When there seems to be someone maybe not having their best game, a couple other people are having great games.

“I think we’re taking real quality at bats and maybe they’re not necessarily always resulting in hits but they’re swinging at good pitches and working themselves out of holes. We’re having good at bats and that starts with Taylor. She was lights out the first three innings. She threw a great game and that allowed us to get a couple runs up on the board early.”

The Wolverines followed up their game one with another dominant performance in game two, getting the 10-0 win in six innings.

Morley pitched the full six innings, giving up just two hits while striking out eight.

At the plate, Flannigan finished 3-4 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored. Seepi was 3-4 with a triple and a double and Smith was 2-3 with two RBIs. Colbert and Mimi Babiracki both had doubles.

After game two, Dundas had more praise for her team, including Flannigan who finished with half a dozen hits between the two games.

“She was on fire tonight and that’s something you really want to see from a senior. She looked great and really had those big hits for us all day long.”

With Morley pitching a combined 12 innings on the day, the sophomore gave up just four hits over both games.

“She looked great. She’s been working on her game a lot, working on a lot of things and I think things have really been coming together for her. With her and Brooklyn behind the plate, that’s a fantastic pair to work with each game.

“With a lot of the girls, they have the physical skill so then it comes down to growing and maturing as a softball player, working on the mental side of things. I think a lot of our girls are really advancing that mental game this year.”

Rock Ridge is back in action on Thursday when they travel to North Branch.

“That’s a big one against a section opponent. They should be pretty good. We don’t know a ton about them but I don’t think they know a ton about us. It’s one we definitely want to get after, that’s for sure.”

Rock Ridge 13,

Duluth East 0

DULUTH—On Monday, the Wolverines started their week with a 13-0, five inning win over Duluth East.

Taylor Morley got the win in the circle, giving up two hits and a walk over two innings of work. She struck out four. Ayla Lokken pitched the final three innings for the Wolverines, giving up just a walk and striking out one.

At the plate, Chance Colbert was 3-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Anna Westby was 2-4 with a triple and three RBIs. Emma Lamppa was 2-3 with a double and two RBIs. Brooklyn Smith, Morley, and Kylie Marolt all picked up doubles as well.

Ely 15,

Deer River 1, F/5

ELY—The Ely softball team made short work of Deer River on Tuesday, outgunning the Warriors 15-1 in five innings.

Peyton Huntington finished 4-4 with three runs scored for Ely. Clare Thomas, Lily Dirks, Ella Perish, Maija Mattson and Grace Flynn all had a pair of hits each.

Zoe MacKenzie got the win in the circle for the Wolves, giving up six hits and striking out seven.

Ely is on the road Thursday at Chisholm and hosts Two Harbors on Friday.

BOYS’ TENNIS

Rock Ridge 7,

Grand Rapids 0

GRAND RAPIDS—The Rock Ridge boys’ tennis team kept up their winning ways on Tuesday, sweeping Grand Rapids for the second time this season, 7-0.

In singles, Payton Marks won over Ben Schroeder at the No. 1 spot. At No. 2, Gage Benz defeated Cooper Lonson. At third singles, Aidan Rabideaux picked up a win over Grady Giffen and at fourth singles, Colton Bialke defeated Will Haakula.

In doubles, Peyton Bialke and Kasey Lamppa took down Elliott Spann and Owen Kastendick at the No. 1 spot, Dawson Ruedebusch and Aidan Sandnas defeated Luke Wreelock and Anders Morque in the second position and Tyler Callister and Ethan Pond made short work of Jack Sander and Ethan Gusgisberg at No. 3.

Rock Ridge travels to Cloquet Friday for a triangular with the Lumberjacks and Foley.

Rock Ridge 7, Grand Rapids 0

Singles: No. 1 Payton Marks, RR, def. Ben Schroeder 6-0, 6-1; No. 2 Gage Benz, RR, def. Cooper Lonson 6-1, 6-0; No. 3 Aidan Rabideaux, RR, def. Grady Giffen 6-0, 6-1; No. 4 Colton Bialke, RR, def. Will Haakula 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles: No. 1 Peyton Bialke/Kasey Lamppa, RR, def. Elliot Spann/Owen Kastendick 6-1, 6-1; No. 2 Dawson Ruedebusch/Aidan Sandnas, RR, def. Luke Wreelock/Anders Morque 6-1, 6-1; No. 3 Tyler Callister/Ethan Pond, RR, def. JAck Sander/Ethan Gugisberg 6-3, 6-0.