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Pitching was the name of the game as the Wildcat softball team won two out of three one-run games the past week to improve its record to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference.

Chisago Lakes 1, Irondale 0

Whitney Slagerman allowed just one hit and struck out 12 to lead the Wildcats over the Irondale Knights 1-0 Tuesday, April 18 at Irondale.

Jenny Reed doubled to left center for the Wildcats with one out in the top of the first inning, but was left stranded at second. The Wildcats didn’t have another baserunner until the seventh. But the Knights didn’t fare any better against Slagerman. The Knights’ first baserunner of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Slagerman allowed a two-out walk.

The Wildcats got the only run they needed in the top of the seventh inning. Leading off, Ariel Novak hit a line drive to the wall for a triple. Novak became just the second baserunner of the game for the Wildcats. With one out, Karina Swanberg hit a fly ball to left to score Novak with the only run of the game.

The dominant Slagerman took a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh. But, with one out, a Knight player doubled to end the no-hit bid. The next batter grounded out, and Slagerman appropriately struck out the final batter of the game to seal the 1-0 victory and the shutout for the Wildcats.

North Branch 2, CL 1

The Wildcats lost a pitchers duel to the Vikings 2-1 Thursday, April 20 at Chisago Lakes.

The Wildcats had only two baserunners in the first five innings: a two-out walk to by Andrea Nelson in the first and a two-out single by Whitney Slagerman in the second.

The Vikings scored the first run of the game in the third inning. With one out, the batter reached second on an infield error by the Wildcats. A bunt single moved runners to first and third. The next batter hit a sacrifice fly to put the Vikings up 1-0. In the fourth inning, the Vikings scored when a batter singled with one out and the next batter doubled her home.

The Vikings still led 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Jenny Reed gave Wildcat fans some hope when she doubled with one out. Andrea Nelson walked to put runners at first and second. A ground ball by the next batter forced Reed out at third, leaving runners at first and second with two outs. Nicole Oehme then came through with a single to score Nelson. But the next batter made an out, leaving two runners stranded and the Wildcats down by a run. Neither team scored in the seventh, leaving the final score North Branch 2, Chisago Lakes 1.

Jenny Reed had two hits in the loss for the Wildcats.

Chisago Lakes 2, Cloquet 1

Lisa Schommer drove in the game-winning run with a single in the bottom of the eighth, and pitcher Whitney Slagerman had four hits to dominate with her bat as well as her arm as the Wildcats beat Cloquet 2-1 at Chisago Lakes.

The Wildcats put a run on the scoreboard in the first. Andrea Nelson and Ariel Novak walked to lead off the inning. Karina Swanberg hit a ground ball to the left side of the infield and an error by the third baseman allowed Nelson to score the game’s first run.

The Wildcats nearly added to their lead in the second. A single by Slagerman, a sacrifice bunt by Schommer, a walk to Nelson and a single by Jenny Reed loaded the bases with two outs. But the Wildcats grounded into a force-out at home on the next play to end the inning.

Cloquet tied the game in the fourth. Slagerman gave up a double, and a throwing error on a ball hit by the next batter allowed Cloquet’s only run of the game. Neither team was able to put another run across through the seventh, sending the game into extra innings.

Slagerman shut down Cloquet in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, Nicole Oehme single d with one out. Angie Gavin sacrificed Oehme to second. Slagerman singled, her fourth hit of the game, to put runners on first and third with two outs. The next batter, Schommer, singled to center to score Oehme with the winning run to give the Wildcats a 1-0 victory.

“We certainly had some good, old-fashioned pitchers duels,” said Wildcat head coach Steve Fisher. “And we could have had a sweep, but we just couldn’t manage to put any hits together against North Branch.”

The Wildcats are scheduled to play four conference games in eight days. They were scheduled to travel to New Hope to play Robbinsdale Cooper Tuesday, April 25. They return home Thursday, April 27 to play Totino-Grace at 4:30 p.m. They’re back on the road Monday, May 1 to visit St. Louis Park at 4 p.m. And, on Tuesday, May 2, they host Benilde-St. Margaret’s at 5 p.m.

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