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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.
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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) |
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.
