Tigers edge out Rangers on the softball diamond, 5-3

MOUNTAIN IRON—For the Mountain Iron-Buhl and Cherry softball teams, Thursday’s game was a tale of what could have been.

Both teams got plenty of runners on the bases, enough to score even a few runs, but both coaches were hoping their team could end up pushing more across.

In the end, the Tigers managed to do just a little bit more than the Rangers and came away with a 5-3 win.

“We left way too many stranded,” Cherry head coach Darrell Bjerklie said after the game. “We need to work on what to do when we get runners in scoring position. There were a few times where another base hit from us probably would have blown this whole thing open.”

“We weren’t hitting the ball,” MI-B skipper Jesse White said. “We had runners on and every time the heart of our order came up, we were taking bad swings and making bad decisions. If you can’t hit the ball, you can’t score runs.”

Despite the stranded runners from both sides, it was the Tigers that managed to strike first, scoring one run in the top of the first.

Leadoff hitter Anna Serna took a walk from pitcher Natalie Bergman and then stole her way to second not long after. With Lydia Greenly at the plate, a single from the shortstop into left field was enough for Serna to make it home, giving the Tigers the early advantage.

MI-B had a chance to respond in the bottom of the first when Colie Otto drew a leadoff walk off of Cherry starter Bella Grotberg. A steal and a wild pitch allowed Otto to move all the way to third.

With one out, Bergman flew out to shallow center field for the second out, allowing Otto to tag up and try to take home. Instead, the throw from Faith Zganjar made it to Cherry’s catcher in time and Kristina Shavor got the out on Otto, keeping the Tigers lead intact.

The Rangers got a runner on second in the second and a pair on second and third in the inning after, but couldn’t push anything across as Cherry looked to grow their lead in the top of the fourth.

The inning started with Greenly singling to right-center field before Zganjar took a walk. The Rangers were able to get two quick outs after that, but a walk to Grotberg loaded up the bases.

Coming up in the clutch, Brooke Rinerson bashed a two-RBI single to center field, putting the Tigers up 3-0. Cherry threatened to score more after the bases were loaded up once more after a Shavor walk, but the Rangers got out of the jam when shortstop Desi Milton caught a fly ball for the third out.

MI-B got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, starting with Izzy Mattson reaching on a one-out error. She stole her way to second and then to third, eventually coming home when Izzy Ollila etched a single to left, 3-1.

Brenna Tiedeman, who walked earlier and Ollila eventually reached third and second, respectively, but the Rangers couldn’t push another across as Grotberg ended the inning with a strikeout on Nevaeh Locken.

Cherry tacked on another run in the top of the fifth. Greenly doubled to left field and was brought home soon after when Aimee Grotberg knocked a single to left-center to score the run. Cherry threatened more throughout the inning, but left three runners stranded by the end of the frame.

MI-B took advantage of some Cherry miscues in the bottom of the fifth to score two runs. Milton reached on an error with one out and then took second on a wild pitch. Bergman joined her on the bases with a shallow single to center field.

The pair both stole the bag in front of them and then another wild pitch allowed Milton to score. A walk to Mattson put runners on the corners, 4-2.

Mattson stole a bag of her own and hen a ball four/wild pitch allowed Bergman to score to cut the gap to one, but that’s as much as the Rangers were able to push across as they trailed by one heading into the sixth.

The top of the sixth was Cherry’s time to take advantage of some MI-B walks. Shavor and Serna both took free bags after drawing walks from Bergman and then advanced a base each on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly from Greenly allowed the Tigers to tag up and score another runner, 5-3.

That was the final run to come in and the final action on the bases for either team. Grotberg shut down the Rangers in the sixth and then put down the two, three and four hitters in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win for the Tigers.

Despite leaving too many of his own runners on the bases, Bjerklie said after the game that his team buckled down at the right time to hold the late lead.

“We got them to swing at the pitches we wanted them to and we were throwing the right pitches. That was key for us. They bring those hitters up at the end and they can do some damage so it was good to see us get those outs at the end.”

Leaving eight runners on, including three stranded at second and third, White said that it was a lack of focus at the plate for his squad that helped determine the loss.

“We just weren’t mentally there when we needed to be. We didn’t get those hits that we needed. We had runners on here and then but when we needed to push them across, we couldn’t do it. We had girls swinging at bad pitches all day long.”

Seeing three of his best hitters fail to get anything going at the end also stung.

“You would think we’d be set up perfectly in that last inning but we just go down 1-2-3. We’ll have to get back after it tomorrow. If we can’t get the bats going, this is what’s going to happen.”

On the flipside, Bjerklie acknowledged that his team was fortunate enough to sneak away with a win.

“We’re very equally matched with Mountain Iron and I think we really just benefited from having a few more timely hits. We got the outs when we needed to but this game could have gone either way.”

Bjerklie says the next step for his team is to keep after it and improve on both the good and the bad.

“We need some consistency. Offense, defense, pitching. If we can be consistent and not have let downs, we can start to really do some damage. That’s what it’s going to take at the end, at least in our section. We have a lot of equally matched teams so whoever puts it together at the end is going to win it.”

Rock Ridge 11,

Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 0

BOVEY—The Rock Ridge softball team put up seven runs in the third and added four more in the sixth as they cruised past Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin Thursday, 11-0.

Taylor Morley got the shutout win in the pitcher’s circle for the Wolverine, giving up just two hits in six innings of work while striking out nine. Ava Johnson took the loss for the Titans, giving up seven earned runs on 11 hits and two walks. She struck out one.

At the plate, Morley was 2-2 with a home run and a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Ayla Troutwine also added a solo homer for Rock Ridge. Mattelyn Seppi finished 3-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored and Emma Lamppa was 3-4 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Cecelia Vekich Rylee Thomsen had the lone hits for GNK.

Rock Ridge is back in action Saturday when they travel to Hill-Murray for a doubleheader. GNK hosted Aitkin Friday and welcomes in International Falls Tuesday.

Ely 12,

North Woods 9

ELY—The Ely softball team hung on for a win Thursday as they took down North Woods 12-9 on their home field.

Zoe MacKenzie took the win in the circle for the Timberwolves, striking out six and giving up 14 hits. Zoe Burckhardt took the loss for the Grizzlies, giving up eight hits and striking out three.

At the plate, Ella Perish was 3-4 for Ely. Hannah Penke finished 2-3 with a solo home run. Zoey Burckhardt tallied three hits for North Woods, Addison Burckhardt and Ella Kruse finished with two hits apiece.

Ely returns to action Saturday when they travel to Cook County. North Woods Travels to Mountain Iron-Buhl on Monday.