Double celebration
JCC softball to observe Youth Night, Senior Night
Jackson County Central’s softball team will celebrate Youth Night and Senior Night when it hosts Redwood Valley in a Big South Conference Gold Division softball doubleheader Thursday. The first game starts at 4 p.m.
The Huskies enter the twin bill on a nine-game winning streak including a pair of key conference wins over St. James Area to start the week, winning 4-2 in eight innings at home Monday and then winning 7-1 in St. James on Tuesday.
Bailey Finck’s walk off two-run home run with one out in the eighth gave JCC its Monday win.
After the first batter was retired, Cora Pauling singled ahead of Finck’s 16th career homer. Both recorded their second hit of the game. Braelyn Boogerd had the other hit for the Huskies.
Hadley Wachal went the distance to record the win, allowing two runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out 10.
Mady Wachal pitched a complete game on Tuesday and also had three hits at the plate. She gave up one run on six hits, walked one and fanned 10.
Kinley VanDeVere had two hits including a double and Brielle Tufvesson also had two hits. Clara Brinks also doubled and Baylie Holmes had a hit.
JCC will honor its four seniors, Clara Brinks, Hadley Wachal, Bailey Finck and CJ Pauling.
The Huskies will play three games at home Saturday when they host the Shelly Hotzler Invite. JCC’s first game will be vs. Albert Lea at 9 a.m.
Look for more on the tournament in a future newsletter.
BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
Softball standings
Through May 5
Gold Division
Jackson County Central 9-0
Fairmont 9-2
St. James Area 7-3
Pipestone 4-4
Windom 3-7
Luverne 1-9
Redwood Valley 0-8
Black Division
Belle Plaine 10-1
St. Peter 8-2
New Ulm 6-2
Tri-City United 4-4
Marshall 4-5
Waseca 2-9
Worthington 0-11
Section 3AA
Play in the Section 3AA tournament opens on Tuesday, May 19.
Here are the won-loss records of the teams in the section through May 5. Teams are listed in order of their QRF value by Minnesota-scores.net.
South Sub-Section
Jackson County Central 12-1
Pipestone 6-8
Minneota/Canby 14-5
Windom 7-8
Redwood Valley 6-8
Luverne 4-10
Worthington 0-15
North Sub-Section
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 11-2
New London-Spicer 10-6
Dassel-Cokato 6-8
Minnewaska Area 8-6
Litchfield 10-4
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 4-9
Montevideo 1-11
JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL
2026 softball schedule
As of May 5
Friday, April 10: at New Ulm Cathedral, W 5-3
Friday, April 10: at New Ulm Cathedral, W 12-2 (6 innings)
Tuesday, April 14: at Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian, W 11-0 (5 innings)
Thursday, April 16: Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial, L 1-0
Tuesday, April 21: Fairmont, W 15-3 (5 innings)
Thursday, April 23: Luverne, W 6-4
Thursday, April 23: Luverne, W 9-1
Thursday, April 30: at Pipestone, W 14-3
Thursday, April 30: at Pipestone, W 10-0
Friday, May 1: at Windom, W 7-0
Friday, May 1: at Windom, W 7-1
Monday, May 4: St. James Area, W 4-2
Tuesday, May 5: at St. James Area, W 7-1
Thursday, May 7: Redwood Valley (2), 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 9: JCC tournament
Monday, May 11: at Mankato East, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, May 12: at Fairmont, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 14: at Wabasso, 4:30 p.m.