Trojan softball stays alive in sectionals after extra-inning win

The Worthington Trojans softball team advanced to Saturday play in the Section 2AAA Tournament following a dramatic victory in their second game of the day Thursday.

WHS saw a 10-2 lead through four innings vanish, as Marshall stormed back to force a 10-10 tie and send the game into extra innings. The Tigers then edged ahead 11-10 in the top of the ninth, but the Trojans answered with two runs to a pull out a 12-11 win at Caswell Park in North Mankato,

Bailey Ponto led off the ninth with her third hit of the game and sixth hit overall Thursday. She promptly scored the tying run on a triple by Madi Polz.

The Tigers proceeded to intentionally walk both Hannah McNab and Emma Hietbrink to set up a force at any base. The strategy worked right away, as Polz was forced out at home on a grounder for the inning's first out. The next batter, Leah Nelson, hit a high chopper back to the pitcher, and though the ball was fielded cleanly, the throw home was late and McNab had scored the game-winner.

The Trojans scored six runs in the third inning and four more in the fourth after spotting the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Marshall, however, got six in the fifth and tied it in the seventh.

WHS managed 17 hits in the game. In addition to Ponto's three, Polz, McNab, Hietbrink, Nelson, Tayler Nickel and Macie Mahlberg all had two hits apiece.

The win followed a 10-5 loss to third-seeded New Ulm in the WHS opener Thursday. The Eagles are the No. 3 ranked team in Class AAA; the Trojans got 12 hits in that ballgame.

The Trojans snapped a nine-game losing skid and are now 6-14. Next up is a loser-out contest at 10 a.m. Saturday against No. 5 seed Albert Lea. 

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In Section 3AA South softball, top-seeded Jackson County Central defeated visiting Windom 6-1 on Thursday to earn a matchup against North second-seed Dassel-Cokato at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Marshall.

Earlier in the day, Windom — the fourth South seed — beat No. 5 Minneota/Canby by a score of 6-1. Also in the South, No. 6 Redwood Valley outlasted No. 3 Luverne 10-9. Second-seeded Pipestone Area, which had a first-game bye, then routed Redwood Valley 15-3. Section 3AA softball play continues Saturday in Marshall. 

Meanwhile, in Section 3A softball, South second seed Murray County Central won 9-4 over seventh-seeded Tracy-Milroy-Balaton. No. 3 Edgerton-Southwest Minnesota Christian beat No. 6 Lakeview 15-5, and No. 4 BOLD topped No. 5 Adrian-Ellsworth 4-1. Edgerton-Southwest Minnesota Christian then edged Murray County Central 8-7 later in the day. The Section 3A softball tourney resumes Saturday as well in Marshall.

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In high school baseball Thursday, the Worthington Trojans concluded their regular season with an 8-2 loss to Fairmont. The Trojans now await their seeding in the Section 2AAA tournament, which begins next Wednesday in New Ulm.