Chisago Lakes tops NB in outdoor opener for softball

When the first five Wildcat batters scored in the bottom of the first and the Wildcats led 7-1 over the Vikings after two innings, it looked like the game might be a blowout.

The Vikings climbed back into the game with four runs over the next three innings to cut the Wildcat lead to 7-5. But, sparked by Katelyn Ramberg’s two-out home run, the Wildcats scored four times in the bottom of the sixth inning to expand their lead to 11-5. The Vikings scored twice in the top of the seventh, but the rally fell short. The final score was Chisago Lakes 11, North Branch 7. The game was played on the turf field at Chisago Lakes High School last Friday, April 26.

Emily Trunk led off the top of the first with a bunt single for the Vikings. She stole second, went to third on a one out single by Mikayla Carlson and scored on a groundout by Kari Berggren. In the bottom of the inning, Wildcat Delaney Doriott hit a leadoff double to left center. Bree Lang walked and both runners moved up on a double steal. Katelyn Ramberg and Joplin Klick each drove in a run with a groundout, reaching base as the Vikings tried but failed to cut down Doriott and Lang at home. Alex Smith then drove in two runs with a double to the wall in right and then stole third. Miranda Steinmetz walked. Steinmetz and Smith pulled off a double steal, with Smith stealing home to put the Wildcats up 5-1. There was still nobody out. But Viking pitcher Katy Trunk struck out the next three Wildcats to stop the bleeding.

In the bottom of the second, Lang bunted for a single and Klick walked to put runners on first and second with two outs. Smith drove in both runners with a triple and the Wildcats led 7-1. The Vikings staged a two out rally in the top of the fourth. Kaylee Lofboom singled and went to third on Kelsey Laffin’s single. Laffin stole second. Megan Carlson doubled to deep left to score both runners, and Katy Trunk followed with a triple to the wall in right to drive in Trunk and cut the Wildcat lead to 7-4. But Wildcat pitcher Cassie Lynch struck out Emily Trunk to end the Viking rally. In the fifth, Viking Casey Hovland was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. She went to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a groundout by Berggren and scored on a single by Hannah Hubbard to cut the Wildcat lead to 7-5.

But in the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcat offense came back to life. Ramberg’s two out solo homer over the center field fence set things off. Klick doubled and Smith walked. Steinmetz drove in two runs with a double, Quinncy Zupko singled in Steinmetz and the Wildcats led 11-5. Viking Hovland walked to lead off the top of the seventh and scored on a triple to deep right canter by Mikayla Carlson. Carlson scored on a groundout by Berggren. Hubbard followed with a single, but Wildcats hurler Lynch got Lofboom to fly out and Laffin to ground out to seal the 11-7 Wildcat win over the Vikings. “We really battled back after getting down 7-1 early,” North Branch Head Coach Ron Trunk said. “We continued to get production from the entire order, nine of the 11 girls that batted collected one hit. We committed one error but had chances to make other plays that would have gotten us out innings earlier preventing runs from scoring.”