Badger/Greenbush-Middle River at Red Lake Falls

Recap

Badger/Greenbush-Middle River at Red Lake Falls Section 8A Championship Game

Red Lake Falls, MN — Red Lake Falls capitalizes on Badger/Greenbush-Middle River’s mistakes to take the Section 8A crown for the 3rd time in 5 years.

Similar to the last time these two teams met up in the Section 8A tournament just two days ago, this game started as a pitchers duel. It was 4 scoreless innings from the Gators’ Kailey Hanson and the Eagles’ Kylie Klipping. Through those first 4 innings there was just 1 hit, which was a one out triple in the bottom of the first from Shandi Nelson of Red Lake Falls, but the Eagles couldn’t get her in as Hanson set down the next two batters on strikes. Klipping had 9 of her 12 strikeouts in those first 4 innings as it looked like neither pitcher could be touched. Then in the bottom of the 5th, the Eagles played small ball and it worked in their favor. It started with Kayla Schafer getting hit by a pitch. Miley Cota went for the sac bunt, but reached safely on an error and Schafer advanced to 3rd. After a wild pitch, Schafer was finally able to break the scoring barrier to score the Eagles first run of the game. Ella Breiland then attempted to bunt for the Eagles, but instead placed it perfectly and used her speed to reach safely and Cota found her way to 3rd. Another wild pitch brought Cota home for their second run and advanced Breiland to third after she had stolen second on a previous pitch. Layna Schindler was able to draw a walk to again make it runners on the corners. Shandi Nelson dropped down a bunt in which Kailey Hanson fielded, faked the throw to first, then flipped it home to try and catch Breiland breaking for the plate, but it got away from Lexie Dahl behind the plate and just like that it was 3-0. Red Lake Falls worked the bases loaded with two outs, but were unable to plate anymore. The Gators had a response in the top of the 6th though. After getting runner on first and second, Lexie Dahl delivered a 2 RBI double with one out to make it 3-2, but that was all they could scratch across. It was still 3-2 heading into the top of the 7th, and Klipping was able to shut down the Gators in order to capture the Section 8A title.

WP: Kylie Klipping: 7 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 K’s

LP: Kailey Hanson: 6 IP, 2 hits, 3 runs, 4 BB, 7 K’s

Red Lake Falls: 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 7 left on base

Badger/Greenbush-Middle River: 2 runs, 3 hits, 3 errors, 3 left on base

Red Lake Falls will head to Mankato for a trip to State on Tuesday, June 2nd. R&J Broadcasting will cover all of the Eagles games in their State trip.