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Eden Prairie claims Class 4A, Section 2 title over Shakopee

By Luke Hanlon, SportsEngine , 05/30/19, 10:30AM CDT

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Julia Goetz knocked in Molly Nelson in the ninth inning of Game 2 to send the Eagles to the state tournament.


Eden Prairie's Julia Goetz makes a running throw to first for an out against Shakopee Thursday night. Goetz also knocked in the winning run for the Eagles in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Sabers 3-2 in game 2. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Game 2

Eden Prairie knew it was going to take two games to advance to the state tournament when the first pitch of Game 1 was thrown for the Class 4A, Section 2 championship. And those two games totaled 16 innings, spanning over four hours, before the Eagles clinched a spot in the Class 4A state tournament.

After beating the No. 2 seed Shakopee 5-3 in Game 1, the No. 3 seed Eagles went on to win 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth in Game 2, thanks to a walk-off single from Julia Goetz.

“I just wanted to do it for the seniors,” Goetz said. “I thought, ‘I just need to get a base hit or a sac fly to win the game for everyone.”


Eden Prairie's Abigail Sailer pitched two complete games against Shakopee in Thursday's Class 4A, Section 2 final. The Eagles advance to the state tournament with a 3-2 victory in nine innings in Game 2. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Game 1


Shakopee's Joie Fittante gets ready to celebrate after her third-inning home run against Eden Prairie. Despite Fittante’s blast, the Sabers fell to the Eagles 3-2 in extra innings. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

First report

Eden Prairie is headed to the state tournament after beating Shakopee in two games Thursday.

The Eagles topped the Sabers 5-3 in Game 1, and then needed two extra innings to win 3-2 in Game 2, thanks to a walk-off single from Julia Goetz.

The Eagles (10-5) started Game 1 hot, picking up three runs in the top of the first inning, then added two runs in the top of the third, which would prove to be all the offense they needed. Plenty of hitters contributed, but Piper Lange stood out, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and scoring a run.

Abby Sailer pitched two complete games, allowing a combined five runs (three of them earned) while striking out eight batters.

The Sabers (13-7) used three pitchers in the Game 1, and it was Autumn Theis who was the most impressive. Theis pitched three shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.

Offense was a struggle for the Sabers, but Riley Leadstrom looked comfortable at the plate. She hit a sacrifice fly to drive a run and hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh and came around to score, starting a late rally that fell short.

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Game 2

Game 1

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