May 17 @ Sauk Centre

Sauk Centre 17 Minnewaska 3

The Minnewaska softball team was in Sauk Centre on Tuesday for a game against the Mainstreeters, the team currently in second place in the WCC.

This matchup has been a tough one for the Lakers this season, with the Streeters taking a 17-3 win on Tuesday, to go with their 22-0 win back on April 28.

Despite only getting six hits, Sauk Centre scored in every inning, aided by Minnewaska walks and errors.

Maddy Meulebroeck had a nice game at the plate, going 2-3 with a double that plated two runs in the top of the third inning. 

Lakers           002 10 –  3 6 4 

Sauk Centre  225 8x – 17 6 1

HITTING – Minnewaska:

Brooklyn Larson 0-2 r, Olivia Richards 1-3, Maddy Meulebroeck 2-3 2b rbi-2, Riley Eischens 0-2 r, Leslie Murken 1-2, Leah Hagen 1-2 rbi, Jenna Drewes 1-2 r 

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)

Grace Larson (L) 1.2-0-7-5-7-1

Brenna Larson    1.2-6-10-5-3-0

May 18 @ Minnewaska

Morris 9 Minnewaska 0

The competition didn’t get any easier for the girls’ softball team on Wednesday afternoon. After taking on the second-place team in the WCC on Tuesday, the top team in the conference paid a visit to the Minnewaska softball complex.

Morris is undefeated in the WCC and came into the game having shutout Benson in both games of a doubleheader.

The Lakers would be the third consecutive shutout posted by the Tigers pitching, blanking Minnewaska on just three hits.

Olivia Richards, Maddy Meulebroeck and Leslie Murken were the only Lakers to get a hit. Murken doubled to lead off the fifth inning but was left stranded on third base. 

Morris   131 200 2 – 9 9 0

Lakers  000 000 0 – 0 3 2

HITTING – Minnewaska:

Olivia Richards 1-3, Maddy Meulebroeck 1-3, Leslie Murken 1-3 2b 

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)

Brenna Larson (L) 7-9-9-8-9-2

May 19 @ Barrett

West Central 6 Minnewaska 3

The Lakers played their third game in three days on Thursday after traveling to the home field of the West Central Area Knights. The host team was in third place in the WCC as the Lakers continued their tour of the top teams in the conference.

The game was a pitcher’s duel early on, with Brenna Larson tossing three shutout innings in the first three frames.

The Knights pushed across a run in the bottom of the fourth on a single and a triple, then used three singles, a double and a triple to score four runs and open a 5-0 lead after five innings.

Minnewaska finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning. Jenna Drewes singled, went to second on a walk to Riley Eischens, and scored on a two-out single by Leslie Murken. Grace Larson stepped to the plate and knocked a double to bring home Eischens and Murken. 

The Lakers were back in the game, trailing just 5-3, but with only one at bat left.

West Central padded their lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Minnewaska tried to rally with two outs in the top of the seventh, getting singles from Maddy Meulebroeck and Jenna Drewes, allowing the tying run to come to the plate. But it was not to be, as the third out was recorded and the Lakers regular season came to an end.

Minnewaska finished the season in a three-way tie for fifth place in the WCC, ending with a 2-10 conference record.

On Tuesday the Lakers begin the Section 3AA playoffs, picking up where they left off the regular season, playing West Central.  The game will be played at Morris at 4:30 p.m., with the winner of the Minnewaska-West Central game advancing to play the Tigers at 6 p.m. The loser of the game will be eliminated and their season will end.   

Lakers  000 003 0 – 3 10 0 

WC       000 141 x – 6 10 1

HITTING – Minnewaska:

Maddy Meulebroeck 1-4, Jenna Drewes 3-4 r, Riley Eischens 1-3 r, Leslie Murken 1-3 r rbi, Grace Larson 2-3 2b rbi-2, Leah Hagen 2-3  

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)

Brenna Larson (L) 6-10-6-6-2-6