Rosemount passes test in 4A quarters
1:09 p.m.
Grace Nosan likes pressure situations.
The senior catcher delivered a game-winning single to left field with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving defending state champion Rosemount a wild 8-7 victory over Stillwater in the Class 4A softball state quarterfinals Wednesday at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Pinch runner Anna Price, who replaced Kayla Bartol after she singled, stole second and scored on Nosan’s base hit.
The Ponies (19-6) rallied from a 7-1 deficit to tie it 7-7 on a two-out, two-run bloop single to right field by junior Megan Boser in the sixth inning. Stillwater scored four runs in the previous inning to make it 7-5.
Stillwater scored first in the second inning on junior shortstop Ava Volkmann’s solo home run to straightaway center field. Volkmann went 3-for-4 and scored three runs. Junior outfielder Maya Schroeder also belted a solo home run, finishing with two hits and two RBI.
Bartol went 2-for-5 with four RBI, all coming on a grand slam in a seven-run second inning for the No. 2-ranked Irish (22-4).
It was a rough day for the three schools from the Lake Conference — Eden Prairie, Edina and St. Michael-Albertville — in the other Class 4A quarterfinals.
Forest Lake 5, Eden Prairie 1: Junior outfielder Ava Stenglein drove in three runs with two hits as the No. 4-ranked Rangers (19-4) downed the Eagles (16-7). Two of her RBI came in Forest Lake’s three-run first. Senior Hannah Tong picked up the win, allowing three hits while striking out seven in 6⅔ innings. Sophomore Avery Muellner came on to get the final out with the bases loaded.