Duluth, Minn. – The fourth seeded Viking softball team knocked out the second seeded Minnesota-Morris Cougars in their first ever UMAC Post-Season appearance. Bethany Lutheran played the first seeded team keeping the lead until the sixth, but eventually falling to the St. Scholastica Saints. In a double elimination tournament Bethany Lutheran was matched up with the Cougars and won 4-3 to stay alive to compete tomorrow.
Game 1 (L 4-6)
Sarah Walczak (Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins) pitched a solid game in her first appearance starting on the mound all season. She allowed five earned runs on eight hits while striking out four batters.
The Vikings led it 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth when the Saints pulled together a five run inning. BLC came back with two runs in the top of the seventh before CSS finally shut them down.
Emily Rauchman (Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) led going two for three with an RBI, her two hits were doubles putting her season total at a league leading 17. Ashley Jensen (Delano, Minn./West Lutheran) also had an RBI.
Game 2 (W 3-2)
Box Score
Amanda Edmison (Mayer, Minn./Watertown-Mayer) pitched a full seven innings in the second game. She had one earned run on seven hits.
Gena Chester (Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) had two RBI on her double in the sixth to give the Vikings a one run lead. Bethany Lutheran pulled ahead by two runs on a double by Edmison in the top of the seventh. She batted in Rauchman who hit her 18th double of the season right before Edmison in the line-up.
The Cougars managed to get one back in the bottom of the seventh before Edmsion shut them down and first baseman Kourtney Peterson (Waseca, Minn./Waseca) fielded a ground ball unassisted to end the game.
The Vikings will play Northwestern tomorrow at 10 a.m. It is a win or go home situation for both teams as they look to advance to the championship game against St. Scholastica that will be played later tomorrow.
