Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Sunday, May 18, 2008
SOFTBALL: Abbott settles in to help Saints remain unbeaten
 Saint Charles' Taige Thoreson is tagged out by LaCrescent's catcher Michelle Lassig at home plate Saturday during the Sub-Section East playoff game in Saint Charles. (photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
The La Crescent High School softball team got up on undefeated St. Charles early.
It seemed like a good thing, but after the one run, St. Charles pitcher Erin Abbott only allowed one base runner the rest of the way.
With Abbott cruising on the mound, the Saints’ offense finally came through in the fourth inning with three runs, including a two-run single by Emily Nelson, in getting by the Lancers 4-1.
The win, the undefeated Saints’ 19th in a row, sends them into the Sub-Section 1AA East championship against Cotter on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
La Crescent, which beat Dover-Eyota 5-3 later Saturday, will play at the same time on the opposite field against Spring Grove/ Caledonia in the loser’s bracket semifinals.
After getting through the first inning 1-2-3, Abbott walked two — her only two of the game — in the second and La Crescent’s Sam Kaiser came up with an RBI single to put her team up 1-0.
“Erin, while I was warming her up before the game, was hitting the glove in every spot I put it,” St Charles coach Clarence Chuchna said. “She got in control trouble early, but after that run, I don’t know if it was a wakeup call or what, but she was on after that.”
The only base-runner allowed by Abbott after the Kaiser single was a double by Lydia Allen in the seventh inning.
La Crescent held the lead until the fourth inning when Katie Dunlay, who was 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, got things started with a single. She wound up on third after a stolen base and a groundout, before Abbott followed with a walk and stole second base.
With runners on second and third, junior Emily Nelson did what she’s done all year — come through in the clutch.
Nelson nailed a two-run single and Audrey Swenson followed with an RBI single to give the Saints a 3-1 lead.
“It seems like we’ve done this all year,” Chuchna said. “We’ve been behind in quite a few games this season, and have always come back.”
Nelson finished 2-for-3 after she singled and eventually scored on an error in the sixth inning. Abbott finished with 11 strikeouts and two walks. Nelson went 2-for-3.
La Crescent’s Tessa Wieser struck out two and walked two in the loss.
Wieser picked up a win for the Lancers in the loser’s bracket semifinal over D-E, striking out three and walking two.
Michelle Lassig went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and an RBI for La Crescent (10-10), which was up 4-1 after four innings. Teammate Skylar Minegar went 2-for-4.
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