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Chisago Lakes 6, Robbinsdale Cooper 3

Two seniors led the way for the Wildcat softball team in their season opener against Robbinsdale Cooper. Kasey Eichten pitched all seven innings, striking out seven, and Danielle Tossey went 3-for-3 with two RBIs as the Wildcats beat the Hawks 6-3 last Thursday, April 7 in front of the home crowd at Chisago Lakes High School.

Trailing 1-0 with one out in the bottom of the third, Katelyn Ramberg, Delaney Doriott and Eichten each singled, loading the bases. Kayla Checkalski singled to left to drive in two runs and send Eichten to third. Jen Horst courtesy ran for Checkalski and stole second. Tossey then singled up the middle to drive in two more and the Wildcats led 4-1.

The Hawks scored twice in the top of the sixth to cut the Wildcat lead to 4-3. The Wildcats got both runs back in the bottom of the inning. Claire Habel singled to lead off the inning. Laura Monson reached on an error. With one out, Doriott sacrificed the runners to second and third. Eichten reached on an infield error and both runs scored to stretch the Wildcat lead back to three runs. Eichten allowed just a harmless one-out single in the top of the seventh as the Wildcats got their season started with a well-played victory.

Eichten walked one and allowed six hits to go along with her seven strikeouts. Eichten and Checkalski had two hits apiece. "Kasey looked good in her first start of the season," said Wildcat head coach Herb Jangor. "And Danielle got off on the right foot with a nice game at the plate. She and Kayla each came up with a big clutch hit for us against Cooper."

The Wildcats host conference foe St. Louis Park this afternoon at home at 4:30 p.m. They'll welcome some visitors from the north to Chisago Lakes High School this Saturday, playing a doubleheader against Virginia and Hermantown starting at noon. Next Tuesday, April 19 they'll get back into conference play with a game at St. Francis at 4:30 p.m.

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