Wabasso 3, NUC 2

WABASSO — Hosting the reigning Class A state softball champion and preseason No. 1 New Ulm Cathedral for their home-opener on Friday, the Wabasso Rabbits started their season in style. After allowing a first-inning run, Aylah Jenniges pitched a complete game while holding Cathedral scoreless for the final six innings to secure a 3-2 Wabasso win. 

The win was a bounce-back effort for Wabasso, which lost its season-opener against Sleepy Eye 6-4 on March 27. New Ulm Cathedral, meanwhile, falls to 0-2 after also dropping its season-opener against Cleveland by a score of 3-2.

With the game tied, Wabasso loaded up the bases with no outs when Kayleigha Johnson and Camryn Irlbeck were hit by pitches and Sara Carlson worked a walk in the fourth inning. Summer Strand earned a walk to force in one run and, after New Ulm swapped Abbey Hillesheim onto the circle for Jayde Altermatt, Peyton Jenniges drew another walk to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Rabbits. 

The rally abruptly ended when Audrey Johnson lined out to short and the Rabbits turned a 6-5-4 triple-play. 

Cathedral made Wabasso sweat in the final inning when Jaylin Hartness hit a solo home run to start the seventh and bring the Greyhounds back within a run. Madelyn Haala reached base on an error to put the tying run on first and the go-ahead run at the plate with one out. Yet, a fielder’s choice and a strikeout secured the Wabasso victory.

Aylah Jenniges took the circle for Wabasso and pitched the complete game. Over the course of seven innings, she allowed one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts and no walks. The solo home run to Hartness was the only hit Jenniges allowed after the second inning.

New Ulm took the lead in the top of the first when Ava Brennan hit a leadoff single and scored the go-ahead run on an Ava Schmid double. Yet, Irlbeck hit a solo homer on the third pitch of the second inning to even up the score.

Irlbeck’s homer was Wabasso’s lone hit of the day. She was also one of five Rabbits to earn a walk and tied Strand and Jenniges with one RBI.

For the Greyhounds, Jayde Altermatt allowed three earned runs on one hit and three walks over three innings of work in the loss. She also struck out six batters before being relieved by Hillesheim.

Hillesheim held the Rabbits scoreless and hitless over three innings of relief, striking out two batters and walking another pair.

Wabasso will get back on the road again to face off against Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart in a doubleheader on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

New Ulm Cathedral will go on the road to take on Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

RRC/WWG 3, RCW 2

WALNUT GROVE — Kennedy Carter gave the Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove softball team a moment to remember in its season opener against Renville County West on Friday. The sophomore outfielder scored on a passed ball to give the Falcons a 3-2 walk-off win on their home field and start the season on a high note.

The game was tied at 2-2 heading into the final frame. Singles from Carter and Natasha Wahl, broken up by a walk to Camryn Therkilsen, loaded the bases with no outs. Carlie Ross stepped up to the plate but didn’t get a pitch to hit before Carter came home for the game-winning run.

Ross earned the win as the game’s starting pitcher, going the full seven innings while allowing one earned run. She struck out eight batters while allowing five hits and five walks.

Natasha Wahl was the game’s leading hitter, finishing with four hits in four plate appearances, as well as a pair of runs scored. Natalie Wahl also had a double, a walk and the game’s lone RBI while DeAnn Roiger added another double.

RCW came from behind to tie up the game at two runs apiece in the top of the sixth. Kalleigh Wertish reached base on a single and then scored when Annette Carlson reached base on a Wabasso error.

Natasha Wahl singled to lead off the bottom of the first before eventually scoring on a passed ball to tie up the game at one run apiece. Natasha Wahl also scored the go-ahead run for the Falcons in the bottom of the third, reaching base on a single and scoring on a Natalie Wahl double to center field to make the score 2-1. 

RCW got on the board first in the top of the first. While RRC/WWG retired each of the first two Jaguar batters, back-to-back doubles from Shelby Allex and Mackenna Hinderks scored Allex for a 1-0 RCW advantage. 

Hinderks pitched the full game for RCW, striking out 13 batters with three walks over six innings. She allowed eight hits and three earned runs in the outing. 

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, singles from Natasha Wahl and Carlie Ross and a walk to Natalie Wahl loaded the bases for the Falcons but a strikeout to Leah Carter ended the inning.

RRC/WWG starts its season at 1-0 with the win and will look to carry its momentum into a road matchup against No. 5 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.