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Class 3A: Lakeville South, Maple Grove to battle for title

By Star Tribune, 06/05/14, 4:15PM CDT

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The Cougars, playing in their first state tournament, will take on the Crimson and top player Sydney Smith.

SEMIFINAL GAMES


Lakeville South's Amanda Bloomquist (13) celebrated with teammates after hitting a grand slam in the Class 3A semifinal game with Anoka to help lead her team to victory in the state tournament at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Photo: Richard.Sennott@start

Lakeville South powers way into state title game

Lakeville South will play for a state championship in its state tournament debut.

The Cougars pounded Anoka 11-0 in five innings in the Class 3A semifinals on Thursday afternoon at Caswell Park in North Mankato. They advance to Friday’s 1:30 p.m. championship game.

Lakeville South scored early with the help of several Anoka errors. The Cougars led 3-0 after three innings with pitcher Kylie Stober well in control. She struck out eight, including a stretch of six straight, in five innings of work.

Amanda Bloomquist’s grand slam was part of an eight-run fifth inning that finished the job for Lakeville South.

JASON GONZALEZ

Smith nearly perfect as Maple Grove advances

The perfect game would have been special, a no-hitter exciting, and a shutout nice. All Sydney Smith wanted was the win.

The Maple Grove pitcher entered the circle in the bottom of the seventh inning of Thursday night’s Class 3A semifinal with all of the above intact and excited with a 4-1 win over North St. Paul. She lost the bid for the state tournament’s fourth perfect game and a no-hitter before she could record an out, but led the Crimson into Friday’s state title game.

Smith allowed just two hits, one earned run and struck out seven in her second win of the day. Samantha Sadler was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and pinch hitter Kea Anderson provided a pair of insurance runs with a two-run home run in the sixth inning.

North St. Paul pitcher Haley Schanks gave up seven hits, four walks and struck out seven.

JASON GONZALEZ

QUARTERFINAL GAMES


Lakeville South outlasts Orono in tourney debut

Lakeville South outlasted Orono 2-1 in extra innings of the Class 3A quarterfinals on Thursday morning at Caswell Park in North Mankto.

The Cougars scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth inning. Pinch-runner Jenna Uphoff scored the run.

Orono took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a  solo home run by Rebekah Smith. Lakeville South pitcher Kylie Stober didn’t give up much more after the early mistake. Stober allowed just two hits on 13 strikeouts and one walk over eight innings.

Bailee Jackson, Alicia Young and Michaela Thielen each had a pair of hits in the Cougars' state tournament debut.

JASON GONZALEZ


Anoka surges past Becker

Anoka benefitted from a pair of offensive surges for a 5-1 quarterfinal victory over Becker on Thursday morning.

Taylor Chell hit a two-run home run in the third inning, and Morgan Paaverud and Amber Elliot each drove in runs in the fifth inning to build a strong cushion.

Elliot threw five innings, gave up two hits, one run and struck out seven. Megan Lindenflsr finished the game with two scoreless innings.

Erika Schwartz had two hits and an RBI for Becker.

JASON GONZALEZ


Anoka's Taylor Chell crosses home to score a run in the 5th inning as Becker's Samantha Lorette (7) defending in a Class 3A softball state tournament quarterfinal game at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Photo: Richard.Sennott@startribune.com


Smith powers Maple Grove past New Prague

Sydney Smith gave up just two hits, struck out 10 and walked none to lead Maple Grove past New Prague 6-0 in the Class 3A quarterfinals.

Maple Grove’s offense was active early and pressured New Prague starting pitcher Nichole Reed throughout the morning. Jordan Mauch punished Reed with three hits and five RBI. Samantha Sadler and Smith each had a hit and walk for Maple Grove.

The Crimson advances to face North St. Paul in the semifinals. The winner will face Lakeville South in the state championship game on Friday.

JASON GONZALEZ


Sydney Smith of Maple Grove pitched for the Crimson in Thursday's quarterfinal game against New Prague in the Class 3A softball state tournament at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Photo: Richard.Sennott@startribune.com


North St. Paul wins on walk-off single

North St. Paul scored in the sixth and seventh innings to edge Bloomington Jefferson 2-1 on Thursday morning at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

Lily Langevin hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel the Polars. Langevin finished 4-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Her run tied the game, 1-1, in the sixth inning.

Pitcher Haley Schanks gave up four hits, struck out eight and walked one in the win. North St. Paul advances to face Maple Grove in the Class 3A semifinals.

Kate Deming drove in Jefferson’s lone run in the third inning.

JASON GONZALEZ

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