McKenzie Paap’s commitment to play softball at Minnesota State-Mankato may have been the highlight of her senior year at Minnetonka, but she accomplished a new personal feat Friday against Hopkins that could become the best memory of her Skippers' career.

With Minnetonka’s bats warming up and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning, Paap stepped to home plate and spent little time in the batter’s box preparing to hit. She focused keenly on the first offering from Royals starting pitcher Lauren Feagler and swung with determination, lifting the ball deep into the outfield. 

“It came off the bat and halfway down the (baseline) I was screaming, ‘Get out of here!’” she said.

The shot cleared the outfield fence and the bases. It may have also catapulted right to the top of Paap’s list of high school highlights. It was her first career grand slam and capped a six-run inning for the Skippers, helping them coast to a 9-3 victory over Lake Conference rival Hopkins on Senior Night at Minnetonka High School.

“My heart is still beating fast,” Paap said about the home run after the game.

The shot certainly was memorable for Skippers coach Mary Beth Wiig.

“She’s really a spark for us and is a great No. 1 hitter,” Wiig said. “We’re gonna miss her next year.”

Paap and Minnetonka’s offense explosion came just two days after a 4-0 loss to Edina in which the Skippers’ bats were stagnant.

The Royals entered the game red hot, having outscoring their opponents 24-3 in the past two games, but Hopkins (6-8, 5-2) struggled to solve Minnetonka pitchers Gabby Ehlers and Sarah Peka and failed to score more than three runs for only the third time in its last 10 games. 

Wiig credits the competitive balance of the Lake Conference, saying there isn’t one clear dominant team.

“The conference this year is really even,” she said. “I think any team can beat anyone on any given day.”

Ehlers held the Royals to three runs, but got into trouble in the top of the sixth inning. She hit one batter and allowed successive hits and a run to score, leading to a pitching change. 

Wiig called upon Peka for the closing duties, the reliever finished with three strikeouts in the final 1 2/3 innings.

“We’re a two-pitcher team,” Wiig said. “That’s kinda how we have to operate. We try to keep teams off-balance with that.”

With a solid pitching performance and a big night from Paap, Minnetonka (8-7, 4-3) sent its seven seniors off with a win on the night they were recognized for their commitment to the team.

Paap called the victory bittersweet.

“It sounds cliche, but it is,” Paap said. “This is your last time watching the seniors celebrate. It was a different experience, but a good different.”

First Report

Minnesota State-Mankato commit McKenzie Paap’s fifth-inning grand slam sealed up Minnetonka's decisive 9-3 victory over Lake Conference rival Hopkins at Minnetonka High School on Friday.

A pitching duel between the Skippers’ Gabby Ehlers and the Royals’ Lauren Feagler was on display through four innings, but Minnetonka (8-7, 4-3) exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull away from Hopkins (6-7, 5-2).

The Skippers quickly turned a 3-2 lead into a seven-run advantage thanks to some timely hitting and a couple Royals' errors.

Abby Martinson singled to lead off the fifth and later scored on a throwing error. A fielding error on the next play brought in another run and loaded the bases for Paap, who lifted a pitch over the outfield wall for her first career grand slam. She finished the night 3-for-4 with six RBI.

After a Hopkins' run in the top of the sixth, Minnetonka’s Sarah Peka relieved Ehlers and pitched the final 1 2/3 innings. Peka closed the top of the seventh by striking out the final two batters and finished with three strikeouts on the evening.

Ehlers struck out six batters in 5 1/3 innings, while Feagler struck out eight in throwing a complete game.

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