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After a few high-octane outputs from the North Branch offense -- they put up 34 runs in two games prior -- the Monticello Magic cooled those bats down and stole a win from the North Branch softball team in a low-scoring affair.
In the third inning, Monti got on board first when the first two hitters reached on singles. They both advanced on a fielders’ choice putout at first base. Another fielders’ choice allowed a third Monticello runner to reach, leading to a one-out, bases loaded jam for Vikings senior hurler Jen Huth.

With the infield in, Huth coaxed a grounder out of the next batter, but a costly error on the throw home allowed two Monticello runners to score. On the ensuing batter, another fielders’ choice allowed the third runner to score in the inning.
Huth worked her way out of the jam by getting the last out, but the damage was already done. In the bottom of the third inning, Mikayla Carlson and Chelsey Emery-Snaza led off the frame with back-to-back walks. Carlson was eventually forced out at third when Kari Berggren hit a sharp grounder to the sack at three. The fielder tapped the bag and rifled the ball across the diamond to look for the double play, but the throw was wild and Emery-Snaza wound up at third and Berggren at first.
Berggren then attempted to swipe second base, but she was caught pretty handily, so she stopped and got into a rundown. Emery-Snaza again displayed some good baserunning instincts by eventually scoring while the hotbox was going on between first and second.
Huth ended up with the hard-luck loss, going all seven innings and giving up three runs, although none of them were earned, on six hits and one walk. She notched three Ks on the day.
 “Jen really pitched a great game for us it was to bad we could not muster more offensive support for her,” Head Coach Ron Trunk said. “We only had one error defensively but it led to three unearned runs.”
For the game, North Branch only had two hits, a pair of singles, one by Alley Carlson and one by Kaylee Lofboom.

North Branch 4, Totino-Grace 3
The Vikings returned to the North Suburban Conference, and although they didn’t come near the offensive production of their wins over St. Louis Park and Columbia Heights, they did just enough to get another tally in the win column.
The Eagles struck first, scoring twice on a hit, a walk and three North Branch errors. The inning could’ve been much worse with those miscues.
In the fourth inning, North Branch trimmed the lead in half when Alley Carlson led the frame off with a single. Berggren sacrificed her over to second and Hannah Hubbard drove Carlson home with a seeing-eye single.
The Eagles reclaimed their two-run lead in the fifth inning when a bout of wildness struck North Branch starter Emily Trunk. She loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter, and then the Vikes gave up a run on another costly error.
North Branch just wouldn’t quit, though. They tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Syd Meath led off with and infield single. She was safe at second on a ground ball put into play by Mikayla Carlson, just barely beating out the throw, which became one of the biggest plays of the game.

After a ground out and a fly out threatened to kill the rally without any runs, Berggren came through, ripping a double to the fence that scored both Carlson and Meath.
Emily Trunk kept the Totino offense from scoring in the sixth and seventh innings, and the stage was set for some dramatics.
After the Totino pitcher got the first out easily, Alley Carlson laced a one-out triple to left center, leaving the Vikings in great position to earn a win.

Berggren stepped to the plate, and although she didn’t get a hit, she got the next best thing. She hit a high, fairly deep fly ball to right field. Carlson set up for the tag and as soon as the ball slapped the brown leather of the right fielders glove, Carlson sprinted home, just barely beating out the throw and giving North Branch their first walk-off win of the year, setting off a celebration at home plate for the victory.
Trunk went the distance for North Branch, giving up three runs on three hits and eight walks. “Emily really struggled with her control today and our defense was not nearly as solid as it has been,” Ron Trunk said. “It is not often you can walk eight batters and have five errors in a game and still win, but our kids really kept after it!”

Berggren was the offensive hero for North Branch. She did everything asked of her, sacrificing a runner over to set up the first run, belting a big hit to earn two RBIs to tie the game, and winning the game with a fundamental sacrifice fly in the last inning.
“Keri Berggren had a big day for us,” Trunk understated.
The win moved North Branch to 4-1 on the season in the North Suburban Conference, with their only blemish coming in the second half of a double header against Fridley. However, the Vikings dropped one more conference tilt to NSC-leading Benilde-St. Margaret’s earlier this week. For a full recap of that game, check out next week’s issue of the Chisago County Press.

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