2023 Softball State Tournament Day 1 Recap

Championship pairings are set in four enrollment classes following 14 hours of play during the Minnesota State High School League’s Softball State Tournament on Thursday, June 8 at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

Just two of the four top seeds were able to make their way to the championship game in their respective enrollment classes. While Rosemount in Class AAAA and Mankato East in Class AAA were top seeds to record two victories each, LeSueur-Henderson in Class AA and Randolph in Class A were not as fortunate. Unseeded Upsala upset Randolph in the Class A quarterfinals, and later, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton edged LeSueur-Henderson in the Class AA semifinals.

• Class AAAA --- No. 1 Rosemount vs. No. 3 Forest Lake, 1 p.m.
• Class AAA --- No. 1 Mankato East vs. No. 3 Chisago Lakes, 2:30 p.m.
• Class AA --- No. 5 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton vs. No. 2 St. Charles, 4 p.m.
• Class A--- No. 5 Edgerton/SW MN Christian vs. No. 2 Badger/Greenbush-Middle River, 5:30 p.m.

Class A

Semifinals

• Badger/Greenbush-Middle River made its way into a softball championship game for the fourth time in program history on the strength of a 2-1 victory over Moose Lake/Willow River in the Class A semifinals. Senior catcher Cassidy Dahl had a two-run single in the fourth inning that not only erased a one-run deficit, but gave the Gators the lead for good. Previously, the Gators were the Class A runner-up in 2015, 2016, and 2019. 
• Edgerton/SW MN Christian put an end to any additional upset hopes by Upsala with a 2-1 walk-off victory in the Class A semifinals. Junior outfielder Mateya Gullickson took care of that with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to snap a 1-all deadlock. Earlier in the day, unseeded Upsala eliminated top-seeded Randolph with a 1-0 victory in the quarterfinals. Edgerton/SW MN, the No. 5 seed in this season's Class A field, was the state champion in 2019 and 2016. It also had runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2018, respectively. 

Quarterfinal recap

• Senior catcher Mollie Leners hit an RBI double in the top of the sixth inning to send unseeded Upsala to a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Randolph.In the bottom of the seventh inning, Randolph opened by reaching base on an error. But comeback hopes were quickly dashed when Upsala sophomore third baseman Isabel Ripplinger snared a sizzling line drive by Randolph's Carter Raymond. Ripplinger then made a snap throw to first to double up the runner. 
• Junior second baseman Ana Veldkamp had all of her team's hits and was 4 for 4 with three runs scored to send Edgerton/Southwest MN Christian to a 3-1 victory over Bethlehem Academy. 
• Freshman pitcher Kailey Hanson and senior catcher Cassidy Dahl each had three hits to power Badger/Greenbush-Middle River to an 11-1 victory in six innings over Menahga. 
• Junior left fielder Jorja Jusczak had two hits and two runs batted in to help send Moose Lake/Willow River to a 7-2 victory over New Ulm Cathedral. 

Class AA

• Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, the No. 5 seed and one of the hottest teams entering the softball state tournament with a 13-game winning streak tacked on two more victories following its second upset of day, this one a 2-1 win over top-seeded LeSueur-Henderson in the Class AA semifinals.The Rebels scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning and then kept LeSueur-Henderson at bay to complete the upset. Senior right fielder Kayleigh Peterson had an RBI via a groundout and freshman first baseman Danielle Boyd scored on a throwing error to complete the rally. 
• Two years after finishing as the Class AA runner-up in its first state tournament appearance, St. Charles will have another opportunity to capture a title. The No. 2-seeded Saints zipped into the Class AA championship game on the strength of an 8-3 victory over St. Agnes. Junior shortstop Mya Modahl was 3 for 3 with two runs scored and four knocked in to power the Saints. Senior first baseman Madison Williamson added two hits. St. Charles is on a seven-game winning streak since a loss to Winona, playing the Class AAA field, in the regular-season-finale. 

Quarterfinal recap

• Senior Madison Wilbright had an RBI double in the second inning and senior shortstop Rhyan Fritz hit a two-run homer to right field to pace top-seeded LeSueur-Henderson to a 3-0 victory over Pequot Lakes. Senior pitcher Chloe Brandt gave up just two hits while striking out 11 for the Giants. 
• Senior Skylar Spessard and freshman Danielle Boyd had RBI singles in a three-run top of the seventh inning to send Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton to a 6-4 victory over Pipestone Area. 
• Senior catcher Grace Buringa hit an RBI single to right field to lift St. Charles to a 5-4 victory over Watertown-Mayer. 
• Unseeded St. Agnes scored two runs without a hit in the second inning and that was enough to record a 2-1 victory over No. 3 Proctor. Freshman pitcher Angela Proper helped keep Proctor at bay by scattering seven hits and striking out nine. 

Class AAA

• Chisago Lakes claimed the first state championship berth in program history following a 5-0 victory over Delano. Sophomore third baseman Melana Larson had two runs batted in and sophomore center fielder Chloe Rusa was 3 for 3 in sending the Wildcats, the No. 3 seed, past Delano. 
• Top-seeded Mankato East turned aside upset-minded Cretin-Derham Hall in a 7-6 victory in 10 innings in the other Class AAA semifinal. The Cougars ended the three-hour game by manufacturing a run in the top of the 10th inning on one hit and two Cretin-Derham Hall errors. Mankato East nearly broke the game open in the top of the eighth inning, but some defensive heroics saved Cretin-Derham Hall. Mankato East had runners on second and third with two outs. Junior catcher Destiny Reasner sent a high fly to deep center field that looked like a sure home run. But using perfect timing, Cretin-Derham Hall junior center fielder Samantha Haider lunged to make a stellar catch while crashing into the fence. The panel of the fence broke away and had to be replaced which created a delay. Junior first baseman Hailey Petzel had two hits and three RBIs for the Cougars. Sophomore pitcher Brooke Nesdahl and freshman infielder Allie Castro had three hits each for Cretin-Derham Hall. 

Quarterfinal recap

• Sophomore right fielder Madeline Beaty hit a three-run home run to center field, and moments later, sophomore pitcher Kylinn Stangl followed with a two-run blast to send top-seeded Mankato East to a 10-0 victory over Rocori. 
• Pinch-runner Maddie Mulcahy, a seventh-grade outfielder, stole home in the top of the fifth inning and that run stood for Cretin-Derham Hall in its 1-0 victory over Becker.
• Sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Pink hit an RBI single to left field in the eighth inning to provide Delano with the margin needed to post a 2-1 victory over No. 2 Winona. 
• Sophomore first baseman Anna Zaruba belted a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to send No. 3 Chisago Lakes to a 3-2 victory over Holy Angels. 

 Class AAAA

• Top-ranked and undefeated Rosemount recorded its second 10-0 decision of the day when it raced past White Bear Lake in the Class AAAA semifinals of the Minnesota State High School League's Softball State Tournament at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Senior first baseman Paige Zender had two hits, including a two-run homer and four runs batted in to power the Irish, who have scored double-digit runs in 19 of their 25 victories this season. Senior pitcher Jessa Snippes sent the Irish to a strong start with a two-run homer to right center in the bottom of the first. 
• Forest Lake, the defending Class AAAA champion and No. 3 seed a year later, wasted little time in forging its way back into the title game with an 8-0 victory over No. 2 Maple Grove in the first Class AAAA semifinal. The Rangers jumped on Maple Grove for five runs in the top of the first inning. Senior catcher Bethany Weiss had a two-run homer to left-center, and shortly after, freshman third baseman Isabella Dowdall added a two-run double. Junior pitcher Hannah Tong silenced Maple Grove on one hit while striking out 11. 

Quarterfinal recap

• Rosemount scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to secure a 10-0 victory over Hopkins. Sophomore designated player Jorey Frye was 3 for 3 with two runs scored and two batted in for the Irish. Senior pitcher Jessa Snippes gave up just two hits and struck out seven. 
• Senior pitcher Chloe Barber had an RBI double in the six-run first inning and junior catcher Heidi Barber added a solo home run an inning later to pave the way to White Bear Lake's 7-0 victory over St. Michael-Albertville. 
• Senior pitcher Madison Wihlm helped her own cause with an RBI single in the fifth inning to stake Maple Grove to a 2-1 victory over Farmington. In the circle, Wihlm gave up two hits and struck out 14.  
• Senior outfielder Maddie Larrabee had an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift No. 3 seed Forest Lake to a 6-5 victory over Shakopee. Senior catcher Bethany Weiss was 2 for 3 and an RBI. Junior outfielder Chayse Doering was 3 for 3 for 4 with a run scored for Shakopee.