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by CHUCK FITZER

North Branch 7, Chisago Lakes 6 (8 innings)

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Viking Cora Jacobsen-Groholski’s walk-off single gave the Vikings an exciting and entertaining 7-6 win over the Wildcats Tuesday, April 14 at North Branch High School.

Viking Aubrey Charpentier singled with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and scored on a single by Jacobsen-Groholski to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. Viking Victoria Thurmer doubled to lead off the bottom of the third and scored when Elcey Johnson reached on an error. Alyssa Rediske grounded out, moving Johnson to third. Johnson scored on a groundout by Lily Bernard, and the Vikings now led 3-0.

Meanwhile, Rediske dominated Wildcat hitters for the first five innings. She allowed just two harmless singles and no runs. And she didn’t walk anyone. The Wildcats finally broke through in the top of the sixth. Jess Dittel-Hoefler singled with one out, went to second on a passed ball and scored in a single by Jesa Leritz, cutting the Viking lead to 3-1. Johnson reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Rediske sacrificed Johnson to second. Bernard reached on a field’s choice, moving Johnson to third. Abigail Pfeifer doubled to drive in Johnson. Bernard tried to score all the way from first, but Wildcat center fielder Leritz gunned her down at the plate to keep the score at 4-1.

Wildcat Annika Malchow singled to lead off the top of the seventh. Aubrey Perry singled and Makenna Thorsen walked to load the bases. Adysen Corey hit a ground ball to short. Courtesy runner Molly Luoma scored to cut the Viking lead to 4-2, but Perry was forced out at third on the play. Sheppeck lined to third for the second out. Seanna Ritter singled to drive in Thorsen, making it 4-3. Dittel-Hoefler singled to drive in Corey, tying the game at 4-4.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Viking Morgan Mann walked and Thurmer was hit by a pitch. But Thorsen struck out Johnson to end the seventh, sending the game into extra innings. The Wildcats nearly blew the game open in the top of the eighth. Smith, Perry, and Thorsen singled to load the bases with no outs. Thorsen hit a grounder to third, and Thurmer threw out Smith at home. Corey singled to score Malchow, and Sheppeck singled to score Perry to give the Wildcats a 6-4 lead with the bases loaded and just one out. But Ritter struck out and Dittel-Hoefler grounded to second to end the inning without any further damage.

Bernard singled with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Pfeifer walked and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Kaytlin Hammond struck out for the second out. Charpentier singled to drive in Bernard and moved Pfeifer to third, cutting the Wildcat lead to 6-5. Jacobson-Grodsky singled to left to score Pfeifer with the tying run. The ball got by Wildcat left fielder Malchow, and Charpentier came all the way around from first to score the winning run in the Vikings’ 7-6 win.

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