Softball State Tournament Preview

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. --- The Minnesota State High School League’s girls’ softball state tournament, played annually since 1977, takes place Thursday, June 8 and Friday, June 9 at Caswell Park in North Mankato. It is the second year the tournament will be played in a four-class format. The defending champions in all four classes have qualified: Edgerton/SW MN Christian in Class A; Zumbrota-Mazeppa in Class AA; Mankato West in Class AAA, and Chanhassen in Class AAAA. Here is a look at the tournament: 

FAST FACTS

The schedule:

All games at Caswell Park, North Mankato

Class A 

Thursday, June 8

Quarterfinals

Red Lake Falls (18-8) vs. No. 1 seed Edgerton/SW Minnesota Christian (22-3), 1 p.m.

No. 5 Hayfield (18-6) vs. No. 4 Kimball Area (19-3), 1 p.m.

Carlton (24-4) vs. No. 2 New York Mills (22-2), 1 p.m.

Pillager (17-7) vs. No. 3 Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (22-2), 1 p.m.

Championship semifinals and consolation semifinals --- 7 p.m.

Friday, June 9

Consolation final --- 9 a.m.

Third place --- 11 a.m.

Championship --- 2:30 p.m.

Class AA

Thursday, June 8

Quarterfinals

Albany (19-3) vs. No. 1 Maple Lake (24-0), 9 a.m.

No. 5 St. Peter (20-4) vs. No. 4 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (24-3), 9 a.m.

St. Agnes (16-10) vs. No. 2 Zumbrota-Mazeppa (21-6), 11 a.m.

Esko (21-3) vs. No. 3 Pipestone Area (24-1), 11 a.m.

Championship semifinals --- 5 p.m.

Consolation semifinals --- 7 p.m.

Friday, June 9 

Consolation final --- 11 a.m.

Third place --- 11 a.m.

Championship  --- 2 p.m.

Class AAA

Thursday, June 8

Quarterfinals

Waconia (15-8) vs. No. 1 Mankato West (21-3), 11 a.m.

No. 5 Visitation (19-4) vs. No. 4 Hermantown (19-4), 11 a.m.

Big Lake (15-11) vs. No. 2 Totino-Grace (21-2), 11 a.m.

Thief River Falls (20-5) vs. No. 3 Winona (21-3), 11 a.m.

Championship semifinals and consolation semifinals --- 5 p.m.

Friday, June 9

Consolation final  --- 9 a.m.

Third place  --- 11 a.m.

Championship  --- 1:30 p.m.

Class AAAA

Thursday, June 8

Quarterfinals 

Maple Grove (16-9) vs. No. 1 Chanhassen (23-1), 9 a.m.

No. 5 Farmington (21-3) vs. No. 4 Park (20-5), 9 a.m.

Hopkins (16-7) vs. No. 2 Anoka (23-1), 9 a.m.

Buffalo (19-4) vs. No. 3 Woodbury (22-2), 9 a.m.

Championship semifinals and consolation semifinals --- 3 p.m.

Friday, June 9

Consolation final  --- 9 a.m.

Third place  --- 11 a.m.

Championship  --- 1 p.m.

Tickets:  Single session --- Adults $8; Students $5. Daily Pass --- Adults $15; Students $9. Tournament pass --- Adults $21; Students $12.

Official ball:  Dudley SB-12L

GrandStadium.TV:  GrandStadium will livestream the consolation final, third-place and championship games in all classes on Friday, June 9. For more information, www.prep45.grandstadium.tv

News media credentials:  A news media credential is required to cover this event.

2017 TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

Class A 

Red Lake Falls (18-8) vs. No. 1 seed Edgerton/SW MN Christian (22-3)   --- Red Lake Falls returns to the state tournament for the third time and first since 2013. Edgerton/SW Minnesota Christian is the defending champion and top seeded this week. This is the fourth season of the co-op with Edgerton and Southwest Minnesota Christian.

No. 5 Hayfield (18-6) vs. No. 4 Kimball Area (19-3) --- Hayfield is making its third consecutive state tournament appearance. In 2016, the Vikings lost to Pine River-Backus 5-4 in 10 innings in the consolation semifinals. Kimball, making its second consecutive state tournament appearance and second overall, hasn’t lost in more than a month, a stretch of 13 games.

Carlton (24-4) vs. No. 2 New York Mills (22-2)  --- Carlton ousted longtime Section 7A power, Cherry, after two victories in the section final. The Bulldogs are making their first state tournament appearance. New York Mills has qualified for the fifth consecutive season. In 2016, the Eagles defeated Pine River-Backus in the consolation final. 

Pillager (17-7) vs. No. 3 Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (22-2)  --- Pillager, another state tournament rookie, is paced by junior shortstop Hailea Brooks, who is batting .467, and junior catcher Kylie Woidyla, who has a team-best 27 RBIs. Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, the Class A champion in 1984, returns for the first time since 2007.

Class AA

Albany (19-3) vs. No. 1 Maple Lake (24-0)  --- Did you know? Albany was the Class A runner-up in 1981 and 1982? This is the Huskies’ first trip return trip to the state tournament since 2012. Maple Lake is the top seed in the Class AA field. The Irish have been the Class A runner-up three times: 2008, 2009 and 2015.

No. 5 St. Peter (20-4) vs. No. 4 Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (24-3)  --- St. Peter’s last state tournament trip, just a short drive down U.S. Highway 169, was in 2007. The Saints have won 15 consecutive games since late April. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton advanced to the consolation final in 2016. Senior infielder Megan Meyers leads the Rebels with a .576 batting average.

St. Agnes (16-10) vs. No. 2 Zumbrota-Mazeppa (21-6)  --- St. Agnes last made a state tournament in trip in 1983 when the Aggies were the Class A runner-up. Sophomore outfielder Maria Gutzmann leads the Aggies with a .522 batting average. Zumbrota-Mazeppa, the defending Class AA champion, has allowed its opponents just 25 runs this season.

Esko (21-3) vs. No. 3 Pipestone Area (24-1)  --- Esko junior pitcher Emilee Wilson is a force in the pitching circle and at the plate. She has an 18-1 record as a pitcher and is batting .455. Pipestone Area won the consolation final in 2016. The Arrows are in the state tournament for the ninth time. Junior pitcher Shelby Bloemendaal is 15-1 and is batting .470 with 23 RBIs. 

Class AAA 

Waconia (15-8) vs. No. 1 Mankato West (21-3)  --- Waconia’s only other state tournament trip was in 2002. The Wildcats are on an 11-game winning streak. Mankato West is the defending Class AA champion. Prior to the title in 2016, the Scarlets’ lone other crown was captured in 1990. The Scarlets are batting .411 as a team, paced by senior outfielder Maija Russell at .527.

No. 5 Visitation (19-4) vs. No. 4 Hermantown (19-4)  --- Visitation, located in Mendota Heights, returns to the tournament after a one-year hiatus. The Blazers enter the state tournament hitting nearly .400 as a team. Hermantown is very familiar with the route to the state tournament. The Hawks are in the event for the 23^rd time since 1979. In that span, Hermantown has three championships and four runner-up finishes.

Big Lake (15-11) vs. No. 2 Totino-Grace (21-2)  --- Big Lake opened the season with three losses en route to finishing the regular season with a 10-11 record. But in postseason play, the Hornets are 5-0 and have qualified for the state tournament for the ninth time. Junior infielder Ally Helgoe has three home runs this season. Totino-Grace, making its first state appearance since 2011, has a team batting average of nearly .400. Senior Erin Poepping is 17-2 in the pitching circle. She and senior second baseman Madison Brunn both have hit four home runs.

Thief River Falls (20-5) vs. No. 3 Winona (21-3)  --- Thief River Falls is making its first state tournament appearance. Senior outfield Alison Okeson leads the Prowlers with a .471 batting average. Senior infielder Kora Torkelson and junior infielder Kylea Praska have four home runs each. Winona was runner-up to Mankato West in 2016, losing 4-3 in the championship game. Winona lost to Mankato West 10-6 this season during the Big 9 Conference schedule.

Class AAAA  

Maple Grove (16-9) vs. No. 1 Chanhassen (23-1)  --- Maple Grove is a three-time runner-up in the big-school class. The Crimson are paced by sophomore pitcher Ava Dueck (.440 batting average), sophomore infielder Jade Tomashek (.429) and junior infielder Marie Pallansch (.409). The top-ranked Storm have shut out 14 opponents this season. Chanhassen is batting .425 and has a team earned-run average of 0.68.

No. 5 Farmington (21-3) vs. No. 4 Park (20-5)  --- Farmington returns to the trip after a one-year hiatus. The Tigers have won 11 consecutive since losing two in a row in early May. Park was one of three Suburban East Conference teams to play in the 2016 state tournament. Woodbury and Forest Lake were the others. Park defeated Forest Lake in the consolation final.

Hopkins (16-7) vs. No. 2 Anoka (23-1)  --- Hopkins makes a return appearance after a fourth-place finish in 2016. Senior pitcher MaKenzie Merritt powers the Royals with a .469 batting average and eight home runs. Anoka was the Class AAA runner-up in 2015, the final year of the three-class format. The Tornadoes are powered by senior pitcher Amber Elliott (.493 batting average) and senior infielder Alyssa Wicks (.432 BA and seven home runs).

Buffalo (19-4) vs. No. 3 Woodbury (22-2)  --- Buffalo was the Class AAAA runner-up to Chanhassen last season. The Bison are powered by Emily Hansen, one of the best hitters in the state. She is batting .685 with eight home runs. Woodbury was third in the 2016 tournament. The Royals, the Suburban East Conference champion, are on a 20-game winning streak entering the state tournament.

(via mshsl.org)