Teams want to play their best at the end of the season as the transition into the postseason looms. Maple Grove isn’t winning as much as they’re used to but they have the opportunity to flip the switch during the final week before sections.
They have been busy since May 7 having played six games between then and May 11.
The stretch started with a 4-3 loss to Champlin Park and a 13-4 loss to Mankato East on the road. Back at home on May 8, the Crimson shutout Blaine 2-0 but have dropped their three games since then.
“We went 3-0 in the first inning and we had to scramble back a little bit,” said Maple Grove Head Coach Jim Koltes on the loss to Champlin Park, who are now 15-2 and have won 12 games in a row as of Monday.
On May 10, they lost 6-5 to East Ridge at the University of Minnesota. They played two games the next day, losing 8-2 to Stillwater and 7-4 to Delano.
Champlin Park jumped on Maple Grove early, scoring three runs during the top of the first. Maple Grove slowly but surely crept back into the game, scoring one run in the second, third and fourth innings.
Dani Strom scored on an error to get the Crimson on the board. Alissa Wernz scored in the second on an error after a Lauren Beissel single. Isabel Vitense drove in Lexi Hueller with an RBI single in the fourth to make it a 3-3 game.
After three scoreless innings, the game went into extras. Jordan Brustuen, who moved from left field to the pitcher’s circle at the start of the fifth, got two quick outs but all it took was one mistake. She allowed a single and the runner advanced to second on a wild pitch. An error allowed the runner to score from second and that was the ballgame.
Strom led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Brustuen got Strom to second with a sacrifice bunt but a pop-out to the pitcher and another to the second baseman ended the game. The final two outs were very close to going Maple Grove’s way. The final out at second required a snowcone grab to put the game away or Strom easily scores from second and ties the game.
Maple Grove took a 3-0 lead against Mankato Wast but the Cougars scored four runs in the second and six more in the third and broke the game open. The Crimson finished the game with just four hits, one each from Kelsey Pautzke, Beissel, Emily Gornick and Jenna Steele.
Back in front of the home faithful for a Northwest Suburban Conference battle against Blaine, the Crimson had another extra-innings affair. Brustuen (W) kept the Bengals scoreless for eight innings. She allowed just four hits and struck out 10 batters.
An inspiring performance allowed the offense to walk off in style. Ruby Gouette led off with a single and then Wernz promptly ended the game by sending a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall.
The offense however continued to struggle as the Crimson dropped their last three games. During a 6-3 start to the season, the Crimson averaged 8.22 runs per game. Over the eight games since Maple Grove has averaged just 3.13 runs per game. They are 2-6 over that period.
Maple Grove (8-9, 6-5 NWSC) has three games this week to get the offense back on track. On May 14 they played Coon Rapids (7-10, 2-8). On May 15 they hosted St. Michael-Albertville (12-4). Both games were after press deadline.
The regular season concludes with a road game at Miller Park in Eden Prairie (10-6) Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m.
The 2024 Section 5-4A Girls Softball Tournament begins on Tuesday, May 21, and runs through Thursday, May 30. The Crimson are the reigning section champions and finished 2023 with a third-place finish at the Class 4A state tournament after beating White Bear Lake 2-0 in the third-place game.
Even though Maple Grove isn’t winning as many games as they are used to, it’s clear the talent is still there and they are not to be taken lightly once the postseason starts.
“I honestly think we’re right there once sections start,” added Koltes. “Let’s play anybody they get us.”
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