Notables
-First UMAC Tournament Championship game loss for the Saints since 2008
-Bremer was the only Saint with multiple hits in the contest
-Warren and Logergren both finish their careers as the fifth and sixth Saints to have at least a .400 career batting average
-UWS leads the all-time series 24-23
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica softball team could not muster enough offense to take advantage of six University of Wisconsin-Superior errors as it fell 4-3 in the winner-take-all Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament championship game at Kenwood Field Sunday.
Great Start
The Saints struck first as the second batter of the game,
Micah McGuiness (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS), hit a solo home run over the left-center field fence to give CSS a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After a pair of UWS errors extended the inning,
Nikki Logergren (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS (Northern Stars)) hit a RBI double to right center to plate
Maggie Schley (Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) and make it 2-0 after an inning.
UWS Answers
It remained 2-0 St. Scholastica entering the top of the third. The Yellowjackets put runners at the corners with one out and Katie Wilke dropped in a single to right center to make it 2-1. The next batter, Shelly Misco doubled to left field to tie it. UWS then took a 3-2 lead on a groundout.
Taking Advantage of UWS mistakes
The Yellowjackets, committed six errors in the contests, including three in the first inning. However, the Saints were only able to get one unearned run that inning. Superior also had errors in the second and fourth innings, but CSS could not take advantage.
However, in the sixth, the Saints would pounce on a Superior error. A one-out dropped fly ball put a base runner on for St. Scholastica. A single and a fielder's choice followed to put runners at the corners with two outs.
Alexa Bremer (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) stepped into the batter's box and ripped a single to right center, scoring
Rendi Johnson (Bonney Lake, Wash./Bonney Lake HS) and tying the game at 3-3. CSS would strand the go-ahead run at third.
Heady Base Running in the 7th
Kari Shipman laid down a bunt single with one out in the top of the seventh. The next batter hit a deep fly ball to left and instead of Shipman going halfway to second, she stayed on the base and tagged on the catch to move up to second base. With two outs, Katie White dropped in a bloop-single over second base, which allowed Shipman to score the go-ahead run and make it 4-3.
The Saints would have the heart of their order batting in the bottom of the seventh. A line out to left, followed by a fly out to left quickly made it two outs. Logergren then stepped in and hit a deep shot to center, but the fielder, with her back up to the fence made the play to give UW-Superior the championship by a 4-3 score.
Pitching
Chrisi Mizera (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS) picked up the loss for the Saints, striking out three and allowing eight hits in seven innings. Sarah Hendrickson earned the victory in relief, pitching the final six innings and scattering five hits. The Saints did not strikeout once in the contest.
Thank You Seniors
The Saints (26-15) will say goodbye to five seniors:
Micah McGuiness (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS),
Kara Warren (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS),
Nikki Logergren (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS (Northern Stars)),
Rendi Johnson (Bonney Lake, Wash./Bonney Lake HS) and
Becca Zwak (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS). The class won four UMAC regular season titles and two UMAC Tournament titles. It went to the NCAA Division III Tournament two times. The group hit 73 home runs and won a total of 108 games.
For future information on the St. Scholastica softball program, keep checking csssaints.com.
