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Scarlet Invitational

The Wildcats won all three of their games at the Wiest Mankato Scarlet Invitational last Saturday at Caswell Park in North Mankato to claim the tournament championship.

Chisago Like 10, St. Peter 0

The Wildcats jumped all over the St. Peter Saints from the get-go in their opener at the Scarlet Invitational.  They erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the first and went on to shut out the Saints 10-0 in a game shortened to six innings because of the ten-run rule.  Anna Zaruba pitched two scoreless innings to open the game, allowing two hits and striking out four.  Makenna Thorsen got the win in five innings of relief.  She allowed two hits, walked none, and struck out three.

The first six batters of the game reached base for the Wildcats, on two walks followed by four straight singles.  The biggest hit in the inning was a two-run single by Chloe Ruza that made the score 5-0.  Jess Dittel and Melana Larson each doubled to drive in a run in the bottom of the fourth.  Zaruba and Melana Larson each had two hits and drove in two runs for the Wildcats, and Ruza also had two RBIs.

Chisago Lakes 4, Rockford 3

After falling behind in the top of the inning, the Wildcats rallied for two runs in thr bottom of the seventh to beat the Rockford Rockets 4-3 in the semifinals of the Scarlet Invitational.  Starting pitcher Aubrey Perry went 6 1/3 inning for the Wildcats.  She allowed three earned runs on seven hits, walked five and struck out 13.  Makenna Thorsen picked up the win in 2/3 of an inning of relief, allowing no runs on one hit.

Jess Dittel singled with one out in the bottom of the third, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Anna Zaruba to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.  Melana Larson doubled to move Zaruba to third, and Rylan Sheppeck single to drive in Zaruba, doubling the Wildcat lead to 2-0.  The Rockets got one back int the top of the fifth inning, and the score stayed 2-1 until a wild seventh inning. With one out in the top of the inning, a walk, a single and another walk loaded the bases.  Thorsen came into the game to replace Perry.  The first batter she faced singled to drive in a run to tie the game at 2-2 and the bases were still juiced.  The next batter grounded to short.  The runner was forced at third, but a run scored to give Rockford a 3-2 lead.   The next batter flew out to center to end the top of the mining.  With one out in the bottom of the inning, Larson ripped her second double of the game and Sheppeck singled to put runners on second and third.  Perry singled to drive in one run, tying the game 3-3.   Seanna Ritter followed with a grounder to short, scoring Sheppeck with the game-winning run.

Chisago Lakes 4, Mankato West 3

Chloe Ruza singled in the bottom of the seventh with two outs to drive in Melana Larson, giving the Wildcats a 4-3 win over the Mankato West Scarlets and the championship of the Scarlet Invitational.  Anna Zaruba picked up her first win of the season with two innings of scoreless relief.

Jess Dittel opened the bottom of the first with a home run to put the Wildcats p 1-0.  Two outs later, Melana Larson also hit a solo homer, doubling the Wildcat lead to 2-0.  The Scarlets answered in the top of the second.  An error and a single put runners on first and second with one out.  A groundout moved the runners to second and third.  Number nine hitter Claire Roering doubled to drive in both runners tying the game at 2-2.  Jillian Olsen single to drive in Roering, and the Scarlets led 3-2.  The score stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh.  Dittel singled to lead off the inning.  Sheppeck sacrificed Dittel to second.  Zaruba flew out to left for the second out of the inning,  Larson doubled to drive in Dittel, tying the game at 3-3.  Ruza’s single to drive in Larson ended a fun and satisfying Saturday for the Wildcats.

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