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Rock Ridge 7, Chisago Lakes 1

Playing without injured star pitcher Anna Zaruba, the Wildcats lost to the Rock Ridge Wolverines 7-1 on Wednesday, May 15 at Chisago Lakes High School.  Only three of the seven runs allowed by Wildcat pitcher Makenna Thorsen were earned.  The Wildcats scored their only run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jesa Leritz led off the inning with a single.  Morgan Kotval sacrificed her to second.  Leritz stole third and, one out later, scored on a single by Sam Johnson.

Chisago Lakes 8, Hermantown 4

In their first game on Friday, May 17 at Rose Road Field in Hermantown, the Wildcats beat the host Hawks 8-4.

Jess Dittel-Hoefler walked to lead off the game and stole second.  She went to third on a groundout by Jesa Leritz.  Anna Zaruba walked, and courtesy runner Lily Myhra stole second.  Dittel-Hoefler scored on a groundout by Melana Larson and Myhra came across the plate on a single by Sam Johnson to give the Wildcats an early 2-0 lead.  In the top of the third, Makenna Thorsen tripled and scored on a single by Larson.  With the Wildcats leading 3-1,  pinch-hitter Meagan Anderson walked to lead off the top of the fourth.  Abby Sufka sacrificed her to second and, after a walk to Courtney Peterson, Dittel-Hoefler singled to drive in Anderson, making the score 4-1.

In the fifth, Thorsen singled and later scored on a single by Johnson.  The Wildcats tacked on another run in the sixth inning when Leritz singled and scored on a double by Thorsen.  After the Hawks closed the gap to 6-3 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats answered with two more runs in the top of the seventh.  Morgan Kotval and Melanie Anderson singled to lead off the inning.  Abby Sufka doubled, but Melanie Anderson was thrown out at the plate.  After Preston struck out, Dittel-Hoefler singled to drive in two runs.  Hermantown scored once in the bottom of the seventh, making the final score 8-4 in favor of the Wildcats.

Grand Rapids 8, Chisago Lakes 1

In their second game of the day at Hermantown the Wildcats lost 8-1 to the Hawks.  They scored their only run in the fifth inning.  Jess Dittel-Hoefler doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jesa Leritz.  Makenna Thorsen went all seven innings and took the loss for the Wildcats.

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Anna Zaruba’s injury has thrown the second-seeded Wildcats’ postseason prospects into uncertainty.  The plan was to try to play her at first base in yesterday’s playoff opener against seventh-seeded Hermantown, and then hopefully have her pitch tonight.  If the Wildcats won on Wednesday and get Zaruba back pitching tomorrow, they will be the odds-on favorite to go back to the state tournament.  But if Zaruba can’t go, they face long odds on getting that far this season.   Whether they win or lose today, tomorrow’s game will be at Braun Park in Cloquet.  All winner’s and elimination bracket games will be at Chisago Lakes High School next Tuesday, May 28.  And the section championship will be at Wheeler Field in Duluth starting at noon on Thursday, May 30.  Let’s hope Zaruba is healthy, and the Wildcats will be playing for the section championship that day.

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