Three-run seventh inning lifts Forest Lake past White Bear Lake

Bethany Weiss completes a double play for Forest Lake in their 5-2 win over White Bear Lake. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, SportsEngine

Suburban East Conference rivals White Bear Lake and Forest Lake faced off for the second time this season on Monday in White Bear Lake during a windy and chilly start to the last month of the softball season.

Forest Lake secured the winning run in the top of the seventh inning after the scoreboard was tied after six innings. A series of walks and errors brought in three seventh-inning runs for the Rangers, leaving the visitors victorious with a final score of 5-2.

White Bear Lake was the first to score a run off a combination of walks and stolen bases during the third inning. Forest Lake came back with two runs during the fifth inning thanks to errors and walks.

Photo Gallery: Forest Lake vs. White Bear Lake

Madeline Muellner was the first of the Rangers on base during the seventh inning and started the domino effect that followed to help her team pull ahead.

“It felt great being able to help my teammates get started up,” Muellner said. “And then they helped follow along and it was a success for everyone.”

After winning the Class 4A state championship last year, the Rangers graduated much of their infield, yet they appear to still be a force to be reckoned with. Brie Bakke said that one of the team goals is to be flexible with the changes in the team since last year. She was able to bring in her first teammate to score during the fifth inning when her coach yelled, “You don’t need a home run, you just need a hit.” She said her goal was to get on base and be a help to her teammates however she could.

Bears senior Chole Barber recorded an RBI on a home run to tie up the game during the bottom of the sixth inning. Barber, who’s been a standout pitcher for the Bears, surpassed 500 career strikeouts earlier this season.

“I have different little sayings I’ll have each inning for myself mechanically to keep me within myself,” Barber said. “I sometimes will say it a little under my breath to myself just to try to stay zoned in and focused on what I can control and let my teammates take care of the rest.”

Both teams have goals of making it back to the state tournament this year and remain in similar standings in the Suburban East Conference with Forest Lake (6-2, 6-2) sitting just a game above White Bear Lake (5-3, 5-3).

“We’d like to win as many regular season games as we can, first and foremost,” Barber said. “We’d like to get through sections, make it back to state, and perform a little more competitively than we did last year and make a deeper run.”

Forest Lake teammates huddle before the start of the inning. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, SportsEngine

First report

Suburban East Conference rivals White Bear Lake and Forest Lake faced off for the second time this season on Monday in White Bear Lake during a windy and chilly start to the last month of the softball season.

Forest Lake secured the winning run in the top of the seventh inning after the scoreboard was tied after six innings. A series of walks and errors brought in three seventh-inning runs for the Rangers, leaving the visitors victorious with a final score of 5-2.

White Bear Lake was the first to score a run off a combination of walks and stolen bases during the third inning. Forest Lake came back with two runs during the fifth inning thanks to errors and walks before Bears senior Chole Barber brought in a tally on a home run to tie up the game during the bottom of the sixth inning.

Forest Lake won the Class 4A title at the state championship last year. Despite graduating much of its infield, it appears to still be a dominant force to be reckoned with.

Both teams have goals of making it back to the state tournament this year and remain in similar standings in the Suburban East Conference with Forest Lake (6-2, 6-2) sitting just a game above White Bear Lake (5-3, 5-3).

White Bear Lake pitcher Chloe Barber pitches in the first inning. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, SportsEngine

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