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Fridley 2, Chisago Lakes 1

Jenny Reed hit her second home run of the season in the first inning, but Wildcats fielding miscues in the first and fourth innings led to runs for Fridley. The Wildcats managed only three hits against Tiger pitching as the Tigers beat the Wildcats 2-1 Monday, May 7 at Fridley.

Reed's solo homer gave the Wildcats an early one run lead. But with two outs in the bottom of the first, the Tigers' number three hitter reached first base on an error. After a Tiger single, another Wildcat error allowed the Tigers to tie the game. Shortstop Ariel Novak's throw home cut down another runner, keeping the score knotted at 1-1.

The score remained tied until the fourth inning when a Tiger runner stole second, ended up on third and scored on a passed ball. The Wildcats managed just one runner the rest of the game, a walk to Tracy Schneider with two outs in the seventh. The final score remained Fridley 2, Chisago Lakes 1.

Ariel Novak had two of the Wildcats' three hits on the day. Pitcher Rachel Nelson gave up just two hits, allowed no earned runs and struck out seven in the loss.

"We got just one run off a good, but not great, pitcher," said Wildcat head coach Herb Jangor. "Fielding mistakes cost us a couple of runs, but, overall, we played well defensively. We made a mental mistake on the basepaths that cost us a chance to tie the game. We need to create more scoring opportunities for ourselves in order to have a good chance to win."

CL 15, St. Louis Park 0

The Wildcat bats came alive and Rachel Nelson threw a one-hitter as the Wildcats pounded the St. Louis Park Orioles 15-0 at SLP Wednesday, May 9.

The Wildcats scored six runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Lisa Schommer and Jenny Reed each went 3-for-3. Two of Reed's hits were doubles. She also drove in two runs. Morgan Baumgard, Kori Sells and Amanda Houle had two hits each, and Baumgard and Sells drove in two runs apiece.

"We did what we needed to do." said Jangor. And that allowed us to get a lot of kids some at bats, so they'll be ready when we need them, and rest some key players."

Benilde-St. Margaret's 3, CL 0

Benilde strung together four of its five hits in the fifth inning to score three runs. BSM shut down the Wildcat offense, allowing the Wildcats just two hits and striking out nine, as the Red Knights shut out the Wildcats 3-0 at Chisago Lakes Friday, May 11.

Nelson faced the minimum number of Red Knight batters through the first four innings. She gave up a one-out single in the fourth. But, the next batter lined to third baseman Jenny Reed, who threw back to Lisa Schommer at first base to double the runner and keep the game scoreless.

But Benilde got on the board in the fifth. Two singles and a groundout put runners on first and third with one out. The next batter singled to drive in the game's first run, and the batter after that doubled to drive in two more. After the runs scored, Nelson retired the last eight Red Knight hitters she faced.

The Wildcats' only threat came in the first inning. Tracy Schneider and Morgan Baumgard singled with one out. But, a strikeout and a fly out ended the Wildcat threat. The Wildcats managed just two baserunners the rest of the game, both coming on two-out walks.

"That was one of our better defensive games of the year," said Jangor. "And Rachel pitched a heck of a game. The Benilde coach said she was impressed by how well Rachel mixed up her pitches. They strung together a few hits in one inning, and Rachel kept it from being a bigger inning. From an offensive standpoint, we just had trouble hitting against a dominant pitcher."

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