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by CHUCK FITZER

Chisago Lakes 12, Big Lake 5

The Wildcat softball team blew open a close game with a six-run outburst in the top of the third and added three more in the fifth to beat the Big Lake Hornets 12-5 on Tuesday, April 28 at Big Lake. Aubrey Perry went the distance for the Wildcats. She allowed five runs – four earned – on ten hits, walked for and struck out five.

Molly Luoma singled in the top of the first to drive in the Wildcats’ first run of the game. In the second, Aubrey Perry singled, and Seanna Ritter sacrificed her to second. Jess Dittel-Hoefler reached on an error, scoring Perry. Jesa Leritz singled to score Dittel-Hoefler to make it 3-1. With one out in the top of the third, Luoma reached on an error. Adysen Corey walked, and Rylan Sheppeck singled to drive in Luoma. Perry reached on an error. Ritter popped out for the second out. Dittel-Hoefler reached on an error, and two runs scored on the play. Leritz walked. Annika Smith singled to drive in two more, and a run scoring single by Annika Malchow drove in the sixth run of the inning to make it 9-1.  In the fourth, Luoma reached on an error with one out, and Corey singled. Sheppeck drove in one run with a single. Perry walked to load the bases. Ritter walked to score another run, and Dittel-Hoefler reached on an error for the third time in the game, with a run scoring to make it 12-1. The Hornets added four runs later in the game to make the final score 12-5.

Becker 10, Chisago Lakes 3

The Becker Bulldogs snuffed out any Wildcat thoughts of a winning rally with five runs in the top od the seventh and beat the Wildcats 10-3 last Thursday, April 30 at Chisago Lakes High School. The Bulldogs pounded out 15 hits and took advantage of five Wildcat errors. Aubrey Perry had a run scoring single in the bottom of the first inning, and Jesa Leritz and Annika Smith each had run scoring singles in the third.

Softball Squiggles

The Wildcats (7-6) have just four games left in the regular season, including three in the next seven days. They will host the Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets this afternoon at 5 p.m. at Chisago Lakes High School. They will head to Caswell Park in North Mankato, site of the state tournament, this Saturday to take on the Mankato West Scarlets. And on Monday, May 11 They will head north to Braun Park in Cloquet to play the Cloquet Lumberjacks at 4:30 p.m.

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