Sunday, March 1
Topeka, Kansas
9 a.m.
St. Cloud State
7-3
11
vs
9
Fort Hays State University
12-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
St. Cloud State
0
0
1
1
1
7
1
11
14
1
Fort Hays State
0
2
0
0
7
0
0
9
10
2
Alexandra Pinkowski launched two home runs in the Huskies win over Fort Hays.
Photo by: Kylie Macziewski
Softball powers its way to 11-9 win over Fort Hays
3/1/2020 2:25:00 PM | Softball
TOPEKA, KANSAS – The state of Kansas is only slightly west of Minnesota, but the St. Cloud State University softball team learned it can still definitely be wild. In the final game at the Washburn Invite in Topeka, Kansas, the Huskies won one of the most thrilling games of the season, as they high-powered offense powered them to an 11-9 lead over Fort Hays University Sunday morning.
The Huskies fell into a quick 2-0 deficit, as Sydney LaPoint (Green Bay, Wis. / Bay Port) gave up a two-run home run to Fort Hays six hitter in the bottom of the second, allowing the Tigers to take a 2-0 lead. St. Cloud State had threatened with base runners multiple times in the first and second inning, though, meaning it was only a matter of time before the team found a way to cross home plate. That finally happened in the third inning, as Maya Keating (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton-Warrensville) scored on a Megan Conrads (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South) single to cut the Fort Hays lead to 2-1. The Huskies then tied things up in the top of the fourth, as Alexandra Pinkowski (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior lake) homered over the left field fence to even things up at 2-2.
St. Cloud State scored again in the fifth, taking its first lead of the game with yet another home run, this time by sophomore shortstop Sydney Trees (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake). Trees hit her own bomb over the left field fence, giving the Huskies their first run of the ball game at 3-2.
That was when things got crazy, as the Tigers answered by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain a 9-3 advantage over St. Cloud State. In the top of the sixth, things got even crazier, as the Huskies scored seven runs of their own to take a one run lead of their own at 10-9. Cassie Francesconi (Schomberg, Ontario / Emily Carr Secondary School) and Brooke Bowlin (Chaska, Minn. / Holy Family) walked and singled to reach base, giving Pinkowski another opportunity to score more runners. The sophomore did just that, as she hit her second home run of the ballgame to cut the Fort Hays lead to 9-6.
Singles by Holly Weinberger (Waconia, Minn. / Waconia) and Keating put runners back on the bases for St. Cloud State, and this time it was Trees who came up clutch. The sophomore doubled to the left-center gap, scoring Keating and Katilyn Istvanovich (Lindstrom, Minn. / Chisago Lakes), further cutting the lead 9-8. Trees later scored on a fielder's choice by Conrads, while Haley McFarlane provided the game-winning hit, as her single scored Conrads to give the Huskies a definitive 10-9 lead.
St. Cloud State added an insurance run in the seventh, as Francesconi scored on a double from Keating to extend the lead to 11-9. First year pitcher Trinity Junker (Lindstrom, Minn. / Chisago Lakes) then made quick work of the Tigers batters, as she sent them down in order to secure the 11-9 win for the Huskies.
Four players recorded multi-hit games for St. Cloud State, led by Keating who went 3-4 at the plate with two runs and a RBI. Pinkowski and Jasmin Estrada (Litchfield, Minn. / Litchfield) both went 2-4 at the plate, as Pinkowski ended the day with a team-leading four RBI and two runs.
Lauren Kirchberg (Columbus, Wis. / Columbus) earned the win despite only pitching one third of an inning while Junker earned the save thanks to her flawless two innings of work.
With the win, the Huskies overall record improves to 7-3, as they start the month of March on a hot streak. St. Cloud State will return to action on March 6, as the team takes on the University of Charleston and Seton Hill University in Auburndale, Florida.
The Huskies fell into a quick 2-0 deficit, as Sydney LaPoint (Green Bay, Wis. / Bay Port) gave up a two-run home run to Fort Hays six hitter in the bottom of the second, allowing the Tigers to take a 2-0 lead. St. Cloud State had threatened with base runners multiple times in the first and second inning, though, meaning it was only a matter of time before the team found a way to cross home plate. That finally happened in the third inning, as Maya Keating (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton-Warrensville) scored on a Megan Conrads (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville South) single to cut the Fort Hays lead to 2-1. The Huskies then tied things up in the top of the fourth, as Alexandra Pinkowski (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior lake) homered over the left field fence to even things up at 2-2.
St. Cloud State scored again in the fifth, taking its first lead of the game with yet another home run, this time by sophomore shortstop Sydney Trees (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake). Trees hit her own bomb over the left field fence, giving the Huskies their first run of the ball game at 3-2.
That was when things got crazy, as the Tigers answered by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain a 9-3 advantage over St. Cloud State. In the top of the sixth, things got even crazier, as the Huskies scored seven runs of their own to take a one run lead of their own at 10-9. Cassie Francesconi (Schomberg, Ontario / Emily Carr Secondary School) and Brooke Bowlin (Chaska, Minn. / Holy Family) walked and singled to reach base, giving Pinkowski another opportunity to score more runners. The sophomore did just that, as she hit her second home run of the ballgame to cut the Fort Hays lead to 9-6.
Singles by Holly Weinberger (Waconia, Minn. / Waconia) and Keating put runners back on the bases for St. Cloud State, and this time it was Trees who came up clutch. The sophomore doubled to the left-center gap, scoring Keating and Katilyn Istvanovich (Lindstrom, Minn. / Chisago Lakes), further cutting the lead 9-8. Trees later scored on a fielder's choice by Conrads, while Haley McFarlane provided the game-winning hit, as her single scored Conrads to give the Huskies a definitive 10-9 lead.
St. Cloud State added an insurance run in the seventh, as Francesconi scored on a double from Keating to extend the lead to 11-9. First year pitcher Trinity Junker (Lindstrom, Minn. / Chisago Lakes) then made quick work of the Tigers batters, as she sent them down in order to secure the 11-9 win for the Huskies.
Four players recorded multi-hit games for St. Cloud State, led by Keating who went 3-4 at the plate with two runs and a RBI. Pinkowski and Jasmin Estrada (Litchfield, Minn. / Litchfield) both went 2-4 at the plate, as Pinkowski ended the day with a team-leading four RBI and two runs.
Lauren Kirchberg (Columbus, Wis. / Columbus) earned the win despite only pitching one third of an inning while Junker earned the save thanks to her flawless two innings of work.
With the win, the Huskies overall record improves to 7-3, as they start the month of March on a hot streak. St. Cloud State will return to action on March 6, as the team takes on the University of Charleston and Seton Hill University in Auburndale, Florida.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kirchberg, Lauren (2-1)
L: Nelson,M. (6-3)
S: Junker, Trinity (1)
Batting:
2B: Keating, Maya 1 ; Trees, Sydney 1
HR: Trees, Sydney 1 ; Pinkowski, Alexandra 2
RBI: Keating, Maya 1 ; Trees, Sydney 3 ; Conrads, Megan 2 ; McFarlane, Haley 1 ; Pinkowski, Alexandra 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Keating, Maya 2 ; Trees, Sydney 2 ; Conrads, Megan 1 ; Bowlin, Brooke 1 ; Francesconi, Cassie 2 ; Pinkowski, Alexandra 2 ; Istvanovich, Kaitlyn 1
SB: Keating, Maya 2 ; Estrada, Jasmin 1 ; Bowlin, Brooke 1 ; Francesconi, Cassie 2
Batting:
3B: Adler,K. 1
HR: Velazquez,A. 1
RBI: Beggs,L. 1 ; Velazquez,A. 4 ; Capra,E. 1 ; Adler,K. 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Beggs,L. 1 ; Kagan,L. 1 ; Breckbill,S. 2 ; Velazquez,A. 2 ; Capra,E. 1 ; Sale,L. 1 ; Adler,K. 1
HBP: Reed,K. 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
MI
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
MI
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
U
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