Martin County West pushed United South Central to the limit in the finals of the Section 2A softball tournament at Caswell Park in North Mankato Thursday, but eventually the top-seeded and Class 1A top-ranked Rebels were able to hold off the seventh-ranked Mavericks.
USC came into the night unbeaten in the tournament and MCW had one loss (2-1 to the Rebels) but the Mavericks forced the “if necessary” game with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory.
In that second game, United South Central won 6-0 to advance to the state tournament.
The Mavericks started the first game in a big hole that they would eventually climb out of and claim a remarkable win.
USC’s first five batters reached base on two walks and three singles in the bottom of the first inning, prompting Mavericks coach Darrell Ziegler to swap out sophomore pitchers, with Sydney Clow replacing Maddie Carlson in the circle.
All Clow did from that point was pitch six innings of no-hit relief, walking one and striking out three to allow the Mavericks to rally for the win. MCW scored one run in the first, two in the third and two more in the fourth to tie it 5-5.
That’s the way the score remained until the top of the sixth when Hannah Rosenberg doubled to lead off the inning, moved to third on a groundout by Lillie Schultz and scored on Emily Anderson’s groundout.
The Rebels got one baserunner on an error in the sixth inning and Clow set the Rebels down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Rosenberg had two hits in the first game for the Mavericks, Schultz, Emily Anderson, Carlson and Bailey Larson had one apiece.
Following a lightning delay between games, USC got out to another quick start by scoring three first-inning runs.
The Mavericks again hung in there, keeping the Rebels off the board for three innings, but USC scored three more in the fifth to take control.
Martin County West flipped the script on its pitching rotation in the second game as Clow started but gave way to Carlson after facing six batters.
Carlson would go 5.2 innings in relief, allowing three runs, walking one and striking out 10.
USC’s Mariah Anderson pitched her second complete game of the night, allowing six hits and fanning eight.
Rosenberg again had two hits out of the leadoff spot for the Mavericks, with Rowan Faber, Emily Schettler, Schultz and Carlson each getting one.
MCW finishes the season with a 22-5 record that included two wins over one the state’s top programs in New Ulm Cathedral during the section tourney as well as the win over top-ranked and previously unbeaten USC.
The Rebels (23-1) are the number one seed for the state tournament and will play No. 8 Blackduck (22-3) in the quarterfinals at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
First game
MCW 012 201 0 - 6
USC 500 000 0 - 5
Second game
MCW 000 000 0 - 0
USC 300 030 x - 6