---

North Branch 11, Princeton 0
Katelyn Berg fired an absolute gem to open the season for the North Branch softball team, and if it’s any indication of what’s to come, this could be a good season for North Branch.

Berg threw a one-hit shutout over five innings and North Branch strung together hit after hit in the second inning to score 11 runs and send Princeton home early on Tuesday, April 12.

The offensive outburst was a mix of hitting and patience as the Vikings drew plenty of walks to go along with their hits. Sophomore Sam Pederson was the star of that inning and the game. She went two-for-two with two triples, one run, five runs batted-in and two walks.

Kaylee Sheppeck also had two hits, two runs and two RBIs.

Everybody in the lineup scored a run for the Vikings as they cycled through the second.

After being given the commanding lead, Berg was able to cruise. She walked four but only allowed the single hit in five innings before the mercy rule was called.

Cambridge-Isanti 10, North Branch 2
The shoe was on the other foot on Thursday, April 14.

After two innings, it was a 1-0 game in favor of Cambridge-Isanti, but they plated seven runs in the third inning to blow open the game and send North Branch to their first loss of the year.

The Lady Vikings actually collected eight hits, the same amount as their win over Princeton, but they weren’t strung together, and they only drew two walks on the day. Sheppeck had an RBI, as well as sophomore Sophie Linder.

The Vikings will host Rogers on Thursday, April 21 in their next game, a Mississippi 8 Conference tussle. The next day, they’ll take off for a doubleheader up in Grand Rapids on Friday, April 22.
 
Chisago Lakes 7, Princeton 4
After the Wildcats started 0-2, head coach Brenda Carlson shook up her batting order in the home game against Princeton last Thursday and it worked.  New leadoff hitter Brook Mueller reached base in three of her four plate appearances and new number two hitter Alison Stiller reached based in all four of her plate appearances.  They each scored two runs and led the Wildcats to a 7-4 win.

Mueller doubled to right center to lead off the bottom of the first.  Stiller followed with another double to right center to score Mueller.  One out later, Quinncy Zupko walked.  And Ellie Frischmon singled to load the bases.  Kailey McKnight hit a ground ball to second and Stiller was forced at home.  But Megan Malaski followed with a single to drive in Zupko and the Wildcats led 2-0.  In the second, Mueller was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and promptly stole second.  Stiller walked.  Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Alex Smith’s single and the Wildcats led 4-0.

With one out in the bottom of the third, Malaski reached on an error and Alison Gajeski singled.  Gina Virga followed with a double that scored Malaski.  Mueller singled to load the bases.  Stiller was hit by a pitch to score a run and the Wildcats led 6-0 after three.  Princeton scored two runs with just one out in the fifth and sixth innings, but in each case starting pitcher Smith and the Wildcat defense shut down the next two batters to stop the bleeding.  Smith went the distance, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits, walked two and struck out 12 in picking up her first win of the season.
 
Chisago Lakes 14, Grand Rapids 4 (5 innings)
Leading 7-4 going into the bottom of the fifth inning against Grand Rapids, the Wildcats scored seven times to go up 14-4 and won the game by the ten run rule.  The Wildcats pounded out 13 hits, including five for extra bases.  Alex Smith doubled, tripled and drove in four runs.  Quinncy Zupko, Ellie Frischmon and Kailey McKnight each had two hits, including a double.  McKnight drove in three runs and Frischmon and Zupko knocked in tow apiece.  Cassie Lynch drove in two runs and Alison Stiller drove in one.  On the mound, Lynch allowed four earned runs on six hits, walked one and struck out seven to pick up the win.
 
Chisago Lakes 1, Duluth Denfeld 0
Quinncy Zupko doubled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Cassie Lynch, who had doubled with one out, to give the Wildcats a 1-0 win over Duluth Denfeld in the second game of the day last Friday.  Alex Smith pitched all seven innings, scattering five hits, walking one and striking out nine.  Of the seven hits for the Wildcats, Zupko had three and Lynch had two.
 
Chisago Lakes 13, Virginia 0 (5 innings)
There was no Santa Claus for Virginia last Saturday as Cassie Lynch threw a one-hitter and the Wildcats has 13 hits in a 13-0 win over the Blue Devils  The game was shortened to five innings because of the ten run rule.  Six Wildcat players had two hits apiece:  Lynch, Brooke Mueller, Quinncy Zupko, Alex Smith, Alison Gajeski and Gina Virga.  Smith and Lynch each drove in three runs and Ellie Frischmon, Gajeski and Virga each had two RBIs.  A one out single in the fourth was the only baserunner allowed by Lynch.  In five innings of work, she struck out seven batters to earn her second win of the season.
 
Chisago Lakes 6, Hermantown 5
In the third game of the day on Saturday, the Wildcats had a 6-0 lead after six inning and it looked like they were cruising to an easy win.  But the Hawks scored five times in the top of the seventh and had a runner on first and two outs before starting pitcher Alex Smith got the next hitter to ground out to second baseman Cassie Lynch to preserve the win and extend the Wildcat winning streak to five games.

The Wildcats did the bulk of their scoring with two outs in the first inning.  Brooke Mueller singled with two outs and Quinncy Zupko double to drive her in.  Smith and Kailey McKnight walked to load the bases.  Ellie Frischmon hit a bases clearing double and the Wildcats led 4-0 after one.  With two outs in the bottom of the third, McKnight hit the Wildcats’ first home run of the season to push the lead to 5-0.  And the Wildcats added what proved to be a crucial run in the bottom of the sixth.  Smith walked with one out and later scored on Alison Gajeski’s two out single.

In the top of the seventh, two doubles and a single gave the Hawks one runs and put runners on second and third with one out.  Smith struck out the next batter.  A single plated another run to cut the Wildcat lead to 5-2.  Smith walked the next batter to load the bases.  The next batter hit a fly ball to center field that looked like it would end the game.  But center fielder Gina Virga misplayed the ball and three runs scored to cut the Wildcat lead to 6-5 before the next batter grounded out to end the game

---