Rainy River clinched a spot in the state tournament Sunday with a dramatic, come-from-behind 6-5 win over Mesabi Range in the second game of a doubleheader at Rainy River Community College. RRCC also won the first game 8-6.
Down 5-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Voyageurs (15-9 overall, 13-5 division) plated four runs in the walk-off victory. Jessica Larocque’s bloop pop-up over second baseman Kala Pedersen with two outs brought home Samantha Alberts with the winning run.
“I don’t think I’ve ever hit something like that before,” a smiling Larocque said about the game-winner.
It was a wild seventh inning.
Courtney Scholler led off with a single and Carley Lake followed with a routine fly ball to right field, but the right fielder fanned on it, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Caitlin Medecke followed with a 2-run single to cut the lead to 5-4.
Later in the inning with Medecke and third and Chrissy Frasz at first with one out, RRCC head coach Dieter Humbert called a double steal, but Medecke was thrown out at the plate. When Alberts stepped up, Frasz was at third with two outs. Alberts hit a routine ground ball to Pedersen at second, but the sophomore — roughly 20 feet from first base — threw a one-hopper in the dirt to first that went for an error and allowed the game-tying run to score. Alberts later advanced to second on a wild pitch and Larocque followed with a bloop to second. The ball drifted over Pedersen’s glove and Alberts slid into home just before the tag.
“I think we just really wanted it, because we knew we needed to get into state,” said Larocque, who was filling in for an injured Brenley Anderson, who missed the game with an injured thumb.
“It was good. It was amazing, to finally go through and win the second game,” captain Carley Lake said before admitting not many on the team knew two wins Sunday clinched a state-tournament spot.
“We didn’t tell anyone just in case it got to their heads,” she said.
The Voyageurs currently own the third seed in the Northern Division, but could move up to the second seed with a sweep today at Vermilion, coupled with Itasca sweeping Central Lakes.
Itasca won the division crown and holds a 17-1 division record (with its only loss against RRCC), while Central Lakes is 14-4.
Danika Stelton won the thriller in relief, coming in for KaylaRae McDonough in the top of the seventh inning. McDonough allowed five earned runs in six innings.
Lake led the offense with four hits and three RBIs.
Sarah Hamlin took the loss for the Lady Norse (15-14, 10-8).
“I knew we weren’t out of it,” Humbert said. “It was just a matter of getting the timely hits and we did. It was a fun way to cap off the weekend.”
In Game 1, Stelton registered the complete-game victory, surrendering six runs (two earned). Scholler mashed a 3-run homer to lead the offense as the Voyageurs never trailed.
RRCC was coming off a split Friday at home against Fond Du Lac, losing 8-6 before winning 12-5.
In the loss, Stelton got touched up for five runs (three earned) on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. McDonough gave up three runs (one earned) on three hits with three walks and one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings.
The offense piled up 14 hits, led by Medecke finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Stelton went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, Cally Tinkess finished 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs and Larocque was 2-for-4.
In the 12-5 victory, McDonough got the complete-game win, surrendering five runs (two earned) on 14 hits with three walks and three strikeouts. She also helped herself by finishing 3-for-3 with two runs, a double and four RBIs. Kyla Thorne was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Stelton finished 2-for-5 and Scholler was 1-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs.
RRCC notes
• The MCAC state tournament begins a week from Friday at Bob Cross Park in Sauk Rapids. RRCC’s schedule will be determined when they earn the second or third seed.
• Anderson leads the Northern Division in hitting with a .520 batting average, while Stelton is eighth at .460. Lake is third in RBIs with 36 and Stelton is tied for fourth in steals with 13.
