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By Danielle Strenke
The Rush City softball team found its groove at the best possible time, coming up with 6 wins in its final 7 games of the regular season but was unable to continue the momentum into the first round of 6AA playoffs.
Last week, it was incorrectly stated that the Tigers lost to Braham May 13, when in fact Rush City handed the Bombers their first conference loss of the season in a 5-3 game.
The Tigers also defeated Ogilvie 10-5, which was incorrectly stated last week as well.
Rush City tallied 12 hits against Ogilvie. Senior Ashley Stanley was 3 for 4 including a double. Junior Breann Stottler, senior Sandy Johnson and junior Brittany Wendorf each tagged 2 hits in the outing.
Add to that victories over Aitkin, Moose Lake/Willow River, East Central and Isle and Rush City finishes the regular season on a 4-game winning streak with Hinckley-Finlayson breaking up a possible 7-game streak with a 9-6 loss May 11.
Head Coach Rick Kosloski said the team is particularly proud of defeating Braham. ėThe girls really hit well, pounding out 9 hits in the game,î he said. The hits included a pair of doubles each for Johnson and junior Holly Grimes.
In a 16-2, 5- inning contest against Moose Lake, the Tigers unloaded with 13 hits. Stottler tagged a homerun and double and Stanley was 3 for 3. Johnson added a triple and single in the win.
Senior Shannon Karvonen pitched 4 strong innings, giving up just 2 walks and 2 hits. Senior Mindy Scott pitched the final inning, striking out 2.
The squad went on to defeat East Central May 18 in another 10-run-rule game, winning 14-4 and downed Isle in a 13-0 shutout May 20.
ėThe team played real good softball during the final seven games, which is when you want to peak,î Kosloski said.
Rush City was eliminated from the playoffs Monday when the Tigers faced the No. 1-seed Milaca in the first round of 6AA playoffs.
The Wolves won 10-0 to advance to the semifinals. ėThey were really a strong well-balanced team,î Kosloski said. ėThis is our first year being bumped up from class A to AA and we had a difficult time with them.î
The team will have to rebuild next year without the talents of seniors Lindsey Hanson, Sandy Johnson, Shannon Karvonen, Meghan OíShea, Mindy Scott and Ashley Stanley.
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