Staff photo by Jeff Meder Kathy Gauglein, 8, of Minnesota Valley Lutheran Church, pitches Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop's Hall during a Tomahawk Conference softball game Thursday at MVL. He scored in front of Blaik (10 years old).
NEW ULM — Minnesota Valley Lutheran University upset Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop 14-11 on Thursday in a Tomahawk Conference softball contest.
It was the first match of the season for both teams.
It was a run fest from the start of the game until near the end. Defense was a challenge for both teams with errors, wild pitches and softballs blown in unexpected places.
The Thunderbirds took advantage of several errors in the top of the first inning to score three runs and take a 3-0 lead. Michal Nachreiner reached on an error and scored on Halle Blick's double down the left field. Brick then scored on Lauren Shafer's single. Schaefer scored on Maddie Lee's single.
MVL responded with one run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Carly Prall singled to left field. Ashlyn Rodewald's replacement brought Prahl home.
GFW fought back in the top of the second inning with four hits and three runs scored. Kailynn Hubred's leadoff single got things moving. Habred scored on a hit. An error by MVL allowed GFW to score their second run of the inning. Lauren Schaefer scored on Ella Nachreiner's single.
The Chargers added three runs in the bottom of the second inning. GFW's two wild pitches and MVL's hit narrowed the gap to 6-5.
Brick gave up a walk in the top of the fourth inning and then scored on a wild pitch. Taylor Schaefer singled to center field and scored on a sacrifice by Lauren Schaefer. GFW was 8-5.
Caitlin Hubred got the leadoff walk in the top of the fifth inning. Habred scored on an infield hit by Taylor Schaefer. Naharreiner scored on a single and a sacrifice hit.
Those two runs made GFW 10-5.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Karlie Prahl's leadoff double to center field started a seven-run inning for the Chargers. MVL sent 11 batters to the plate. Kathy Gauglein's double to center field scored two runs and MVL won 10-9.
Goeglein scored on an error to tie the score. Kathryn Studyk was on base and Kenny Dressel walked, then Briley Henderson's single brought home Studyk and Dressel for a 12-10 MVL advantage.
GFW managed to score one run in the top of the 6th inning. Brick walked the Thunderbirds and loaded the bases. Taylor Shafer hit a ground out, ending both the threat and the inning.
MVL added two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Darueg hit an infield hit, advanced to second and third base on a wild pitch, and scored on an error. Gaeglein reached on an error and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.
She scored on Gunderson's sacrifice hit in the 14-11 final.
“I’m glad we were able to come back and win after making a lot of mistakes.” MVL head coach Katie Scherer said.
Stadic pitched seven innings to give MVL the victory. She allowed five earned runs, gave up 11 hits, struck out nine batters, and walked six.
Rodewald was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, Prahl was 2-for-3, Henderson was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Gaeglein was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.
Lee, Taylor Schaefer and Naharreiner each had two hits to lead GFW. Brick had six strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
MVL (1-0, 1-0) hosts Buffalo Lake vs. Hector Stewart in a doubleheader on Monday.
