Chisago Lakes softball player Ashley Mandell works all sorts of perfection into her week
The junior pitched a perfect game, went 6-for-6 on stolen bases and even hit the first home run of her career.
April 25, 2022 at 10:16PM
Chisago Lakes • softball
In three games last week, the junior showed off three skills: pitching, hitting and baserunning.
After pitching the Wildcats to a 3-2 victory over North Branch on Tuesday, she played first base and hit her first career home run in the Wildcats' 11-0 victory over Cambridge-Isanti on Thursday.
On Saturday, the righthander threw a five-inning perfect game in the Wildcats' 11-0 victory over Apple Valley in the Mankato West tournament. In the tournament championship game, Mankato West edged Mandell and the Wildcats 1-0.
For the week, Mandell struck out 30 and allowed only two earned runs in 18 innings. Offensively, she batted .385 with four RBI and six stolen bases (in six attempts).
"Ashley always gives 110 percent every time she steps on to the field, and her hard work paid off this week," Wildcats coach Brenda Carlson said. "She is the type of player that puts her team's success before her own and wants everyone on her team to be successful. She is a true leader with a big heart and an unbelievable work ethic, which helps everyone she is around to become better."
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Kellen Baklund
Mound Westonka • lacrosse
The senior attacker, who missed the past two seasons (injury in 2021 after the 2020 season was canceled because of COVID), had 13 goals and five assists in three matches last week. He had four goals and an assist in a season-opening 13-9 victory over Holy Family on Monday, scored six times with an assist in a 14-6 victory over Holy Angels on Wednesday and posted three goals with three assists Saturday in a 17-12 loss to Rochester Mayo.
Nolan Kemp
Chaska • baseball
In his first start of the season, on April 11, the senior righthander allowed two hits in six shutout innings. He improved on that Saturday by throwing a no-hitter in the Hawks' 7-0 victory over Bloomington Jefferson at Chaska. Kemp struck out 15.
Miranda Litzau
Glencoe-Silver Lake • softball
The senior made the most of her five official at-bats last week. She went 4-for-5 — with two singles and two home runs — and drove in seven runs in victories over Annandale and Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted.
Caroline Monty
Stillwater • golf
The senior was medalist in two meets last week. She shot a 2-over-par 38 to earn co-medalist honors in a Suburban East Conference meet. Two days later she shot an even-par 35 in another Suburban East Conference meet.
Andrew Rakow
Champlin Park • baseball
The junior lefthander allowed only one hit and struck out 19 — of the 21 outs — to pitch the Rebels to a 3-0 seven-inning victory over visiting Spring Lake Park in a Northwest Suburban Conference game Thursday.
Ben Sanderson
Edina • golf
The sophomore opened the season Tuesday by shooting a 4-under-par 67 to earn medalist honors in a Lake Conference meet at Wild Marsh. Sanderson led the Hornets, ranked No. 1 in the state by the Minnesota Golf Association, to a first-place finish — 24 strokes ahead of runner-up Eden Prairie.
Nominate an athlete: Send an e-mail with supporting information to preps@startribune.com. Include a color photo and a link, if available, to video.
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
