Hotzler Invite
After Thursday sweep, JCC hosts tourney
Naming a tournament in recognition of Shelly Hotzler isn’t enough appreciation for her contributions to Jackson County Central. But it’s certainly fitting and well deserved.
And if we’re being honest, overdue.
JCC’s annual high school softball tournament has been named the Shelly Hotzler Invite this year in honor of Hotzler, who coached the Huskies’ softball team for 19 seasons.
Arguably of greater importance than her 323 wins as coach, four state tournament appearances and two state championships is the complex on the east side of the high school. The fields are used by all levels of softball and younger levels of baseball.
Shelly was the driving force behind the refurbishing of the complex about 20 years into its existence.
She shared her pride in the complex of Facebook Thursday when it was a busy place as a large crowd came out on a nice evening to watch the Huskies play Redwood Valley:
Here’s the schedule for Saturday:
SHELLY HOTZLER INVITATIONAL
Saturday, May 9
First round
Game 1: Kimball (15-1) vs. Worthington (0-15), 11 a.m. Field 2
Game 2: New York Mills (9-7) vs. Pipestone (7-9), 9 a.m. Field 3
Game 3: Chatfield (9-5) vs. Glencoe-Silver Lake (4-9), 9 a.m. Field 2
Game 4: Albert Lea (0-11) vs. Jackson County Central (14-1), 9 a.m. Field 1
Consolation semifinals
Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 1 p.m. Field 2
Game 6: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 11 a.m. Field 3
Semifinals
Game 7: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m. Field 1
Game 8: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 11 a.m. Field 1
Fifth place
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 3 p.m. Field 1
Seventh place
Game 12: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 3 p.m. Field 2
Third place
Game 11: Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser, 5 p.m. Field 2
Championship
Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 5 p.m. Field 1
Huskies sweep Redwood
JCC swept a Big South Conference Gold Division doubleheader from Redwood Valley at home Thursday, winning 11-1 and 12-0. Both games were six innings.
In the first game, Bailey Finck had 10 total bases as she had three hits with two home runs and a double and Cora Pauling had two hits.
Hadley Wachal homered for JCC and was the winning pitcher as she allowed one hit, walked one and struck out nine.
Kinley VanDeVere, Mady Wachal and CJ Pauling had one hit each.
In the second game, Mady Wachal homered and was the winning pitcher as she gave up three hits, did not walk a batter and fanned 10.
Clara Brinks was on base four times as she had two hits and walked twice, while Miley VanDeVere had two hits including a double.
Finck hit her third home run of the day and Cora Pauling doubled.
BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
Softball standings
Through May 7
Gold Division
Jackson County Central 11-0
Fairmont 9-2
St. James Area 8-4
Pipestone 5-5
Windom 3-7
Luverne 1-9
Redwood Valley 0-10
Black Division
Belle Plaine 10-1
St. Peter 9-2
New Ulm 7-2
Tri-City United 4-4
Marshall 4-5
Waseca 2-10
Worthington 0-12
JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL
2026 softball schedule
As of May 7
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, W 11-1
Thursday, May 7: Redwood Valley, W 12-0
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.
