2024 Softball State Tournament Advance Release

Thirty-two teams have qualified to compete for championships in four enrollment classes when the Minnesota State High School League’s Softball State Tournament is played this week at Caswell Park in North Mankato. It is the first season the event will be played over three days. The quarterfinals in each enrollment classification are Wednesday, June 5. The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, June 6, and Championship Day is Friday, June 7.

Reigning state champions Rosemount (Class AAAA), Mankato East (Class AAA) and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (Class AA) have qualified for a chance at repeat titles. 

Here is a look at the Softball State Tournament:  

Wednesday’s games

Class AAAA quarterfinals, 10 a.m.

• Stillwater (19-5) vs. No. 1 Rosemount (21-4)
• No. 5 St. Michael-Albertville (18-5) vs. No. 4 New Prague (19-3)
• Eden Prairie (16-6) vs. No. 2 Forest Lake (18-4)
• Edina (16-9) vs. No. 3 Rogers (19-3)

Class AAA quarterfinals, 12:30 p.m.

• Benilde-St. Margaret's (8-14) vs. No. 1 Cretin-Derham Hall (18-6)
• No. 5 St. Francis (18-5) vs. No. 4 Rocori (19-2)
• Simley (16-7) vs. No. 2 Winona (19-4)
• North Branch (9-13) vs. No. 3 Mankato East (17-6)

Class AA quarterfinals, 3 p.m.

• Glencoe-Silver Lake (20-5) vs. No. 1 Randolph (24-1)
• No. 5 St. Agnes (22-2) vs. No. 4 Proctor (20-4)
• Dassel-Cokato (19-4) vs. No. 2 Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial (21-2)
• Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (22-3) vs. No. 3 St. Cloud Cathedral (22-2)

Class A quarterfinals, 5:30 p.m.

• Northome/Kelliher (19-3) vs. No. 1 New Ulm Cathedral (23-2)
• No. 5 Moose Lake/Willow River (13-10) vs. No. 4 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (22-4)
• Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley (15-4) vs. No. 2 Red Lake Falls (22-4)
• West Lutheran (17-4) vs. No. 3 Blooming Prairie (19-5)

Thursday’s games

Semifinals

• Class AAAA and Class AAA, 2 p.m.
• Class AA and Class A, 4:30 p.m.

Consolation semifinals

• Class AAA and AAAA, 9 a.m.
• Class AA and A, 11:30 a.m.

Consolation finals

• Class AAAA, Class AAA, Class AA and Class A, 7 p.m.

Friday’s games

Third place

• Class AAAA, 9 a.m.
• Class AAA, 11 a.m.
• Class AA, 1 p.m.
• Class A, 3 p.m.

Championships

• Class AAAA, 10 a.m.
• Class AAA, noon
• Class AA, 2 p.m.
• Class A, 4 p.m.

Spotlight

Class AAAA

• Rosemount returns as the defending big-school champion and team to beat. The Irish, the Class AAAA champion in 2021 as well, needed a 9-3 victory over Park (Cottage Grove) last week in an elimination game to advance to the state tournament. The only team to stand in Rosemount’s way from a possible three-peat was Forest Lake. The Rangers, the Class AAAA champions in 2022, are on a 10-1 run entering the state tournament and loom as a dangerous No. 2 seed. Rogers is making its first state tournament trip since 2005. The Royals rebounded from a loss to Wayzata in the regular-season finale to record three victories in the postseason. New Prague opened the season on a 13-1 spree en route to its first state tournament berth since 2016. St. Michael-Albertville, one of three Lake Conference teams in the tournament along with Eden Prairie and Edina, defeated each of those teams twice during the regular season. Stillwater is on a 10-game winning streak entering the state tournament for the 13^th time. In that span, the Ponies won five championships. Eden Prairie has a 6-4 victory over Rosemount on May 14 in its season resume. Edina opened the season 2-3, but has currently won four of its past five games. 

Class AAA

• Cretin-Derham Hall placed third a year ago and earned the top-seed label this season. The Raiders, a member of the Suburban East Conference, play most of its schedule against Class AAAA schools. Included in that success is a sweep of Forest Lake. Winona, the Class AAA champion in 2017, is on a nine-game winning streak. In its state tournament resume, the Winhawks have a victory over No. 3 Mankato East, the defending Class AAA champion. A year ago, Winona won the consolation final. Mankato East is making its 18^th state tournament trip. The Cougars took Cretin-Derham Hall to nine innings before losing 1-0 on April 26. Rocori returns and looks to extend its state tournament stay. The Spartans are 16-1 since April 23. St. Francis is back in the state tournament for the first time since 1983. The Saints have a rarity on their record this season: a tie with Cambridge-Isanti on April 30. The game went 11 innings and the teams were deadlocked at 1-all. Benilde-St. Margaret’s, a familiar entrant in the state tournament, opened the regular season with five consecutive losses and finished it the same way. But the Red Knights are playing their best softball in the postseason, going 4-1. Simley returns after a one-year hiatus. The Spartans have won in bunches this season, including a current four-game winning streak. Did you know? Simley ninth-grade infielder Charli Raymond is the first girl to win a state wrestling championship. She won the first as a seventh-grader and has since added two more. North Branch, the Class AAA runner-up in 2018, won four games in the Section 7AAA tournament to qualify for the state tournament for the third time. 

Class AA

• Randolph makes its debut in this enrollment classification following success in Class A. The Rockets were the Class A champions in 2021 and had five state tournament trips. Randolph’s lone loss this season is to Caledonia in the Section 1AA tournament. But the Rockets bounced back to defeat Caledonia for another state tournament trip. Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial had consecutive losses late in the regular season but has put together a six-game winning streak that included two victories over Belle Plaine, the squad that handed the Knights their first loss of the season. St. Cloud Cathedral is 14-1 since a 3-1 loss to Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial on May 4. Proctor was the consolation winner in 2023 and is the No. 4 seed this week. The Rails are on a five-game winning streak entering the tournament. St. Agnes returns as the No. 5 seed. The Aggies placed fourth a year ago. St. Agnes, located in St. Paul, opened the season on an eight-game winning streak and are currently on a six-game winning spree. Glencoe-Silver Lake is the Section 5AA champion following a five-game run during the postseason. The Panthers are in the state tournament for the first time since 1995. Dassel-Cokato returns to the state tournament for the first time since 1999 and second overall. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton is the reigning Class AA champion. The Rebels are on a 13-game winning streak. 

Class A

• It is a familiar path from New Ulm Cathedral to Caswell Park in North Mankato. The Greyhounds have traveled Highway 14 that runs between the two locations, 19 times since 1989. In that span, New Ulm Cathedral has nine Class A championships. After losing to United South Central 3-0 in the section tournament, the Greyhounds rebounded for a 4-0 victory in the elimination game shortly after on May 30. Red Lake Falls, the No. 2 seed, opened the season with a 16-game winning streak. The Eagles then were 5-1 in the Section 8A tournament. Blooming Prairie was last in the state tournament in 2013 when it captured the Class A crown.  Russell-Tyler-Ruthton is making its state tournament debut. The Knights are 9-1 since May 14, a run that includes a 5-1 victory over Edgerton/SW MN Christian in the Section 3A tournament. Moose Lake/Willow River placed third in 2023. The Rebels are on a five-game winning streak. Northome/Kelliher is also a state tournament rookie. The Mustangs are 10-1 since May 14. Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley returns for the first time since 2004. The Wolverines had an eight-game winning streak early in the season and recently had a nine-game spree that extended into the postseason. West Lutheran is the third first-timer in this enrollment classification. The Warriors are on a 9-1 run since May 8.