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Paynesville Press - May 24, 2006

Softballers pound NL-S in doubleheader sweep

By Michael Jacobson

The Bulldogs softball team pounded 30 hits and scored 26 runs in sweeping a doubleheader from New London-Spicer on Monday, May 15. The two victories, 11-1 in six innings and 15-6 in the night cap, propelled the Dogs to a fourth-place finish in the West Central Conference North.

Senior centerfielder Mel Mages led off both games with solo homers for the Dogs. She finished the doubleheader with six hits, including two homers and three triples, eight RBIs, and five runs.

Sophomore catcher Laura Schaefer had eight hits for the Dogs, including a double, with five runs scored, five stolen bases, and three RBIs.

Softball throw Sophomore shortstop Carissa Utsch added five hits with a triple, four runs, and two RBIs.

In the first game, the Dogs built a 4-1 lead after NL-S scored in the top of the fifth inning. The Dogs answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth on Mages' three-run double and four runs in the bottom of the sixth to invoke the ten-run rule. The last two runs scored on a two-run, two-out triple by senior Allyson Klenke.

Sophomore shortstop Carissa Utsch had five hits in a doubleheader against NL-S last week and had the winning hit against ACGC on Friday.

Sophomore Ashley Ogdahl pitched a two-hitter for the victory in the first game.

The Dogs broke open the second game with six runs in the third inning, turning a 4-3 lead into a 10-3 advantage. The Dogs got seven hits in the inning, including table-setting singles by Ogdahl and junior Chelsey Kalbrenner, an RBI double by Klenke, an RBI single by Utsch, a two-run triple by Mages, and RBI singles by Schaefer and senior Jess Engler.

The Dogs added a run in the fourth, three runs in the fifth, including a two-run double by Engler and an RBI double by Ogdahl, and a run in the seventh, winning 15-6.

The Dogs also scored three runs in the second inning with an RBI triple by Utsch, an RBI triple by Mages, and an RBI single by Schaefer.

The twin victories against NL-S gave the Dogs their 10th and 11th victories of the spring, setting a new school record for most wins by the PAHS softball team. The Dogs tied the record last year by going 10-8. The PAHS softball team also went 10-7 in their inaugural season 25 years ago in 1981, advancing to the district final.

The third-seeded Dogs (now 12-8 overall) hosted Kimball in a subsection quarterfinal game on Monday, May 22, and won 10-0. They advanced to the subsection semifinal against second-seeded Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted on Tuesday, May 23, at Maple Lake.

If the Dogs win again on Tuesday, they will advance to the subsection final on Thursday, May 24, at Loretto at 4:30 p.m.

Game 1
NL-S-- 000 010 x - 12 3
Paynesville-- 200 234 x - 11 9 1

New London-Spicer - Batting: Alyssa Woehler 1-3 RBI; JoLynn Burg 1-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Deb Warren (L) (5.2-9-11-11-7-4).

Paynesville - Batting: Laura Schaefer 4-4 R-2 RBI SB-4; Mel Mages 2-4 HR 3B RBI-4 R; Carissa Utsch 2-3 R-2; Allyson Klenke 1-3 R-2 RBI-2 SB; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Ashley Ogdahl (W) (6-2-1-1-3-3).

Game 2
Paynesville-- 136 130 1 - 1521 2
NL-S-- 121 200 0 - 6 7 1

Paynesville - Batting: Mel Mages 4-5 HR 3B-2 R-4 RBI-4; Laura Schaefer 4-5 2B R-3 RBI-2 SB-2; Carissa Utsch 3-4 3B R-2 RBI-2; Allyson Klenke 2-3 2B R-2 RBI; Chelsey Kalkbrenner 2-4 2B R-2; Jess Engler 2-5 2B RBI-3 R; Ashley Ogdahl 2-5 2B R RBI SB; Amanda Skalicky 2-5 2B RBI; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Engler (W) (7-7-6-5-3-4).

New London-Spicer - Batting: JoLynn Burg 2-4 R-2; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Bridget Bergeson (L) (7-21-15-15-1-3).

Melrose 9, Paynesville 0
Melrose broke open a pitcher's duel with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth, splitting their season series with the Dogs with a 9-0 win on Tuesday, May 16.

Softball catch Melrose led 2-0 before getting seven hits and a walk to score seven runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Melrose pitcher Varena Weber threw a one-hit shutout in the win. Senior centerfielder Mel Mages broke up the no-hit bid with a single in the sixth inning for the Dogs, who only had three baserunners in the conference game.

Sophomore catcher Laura Schaefer - shown chasing a foul pop-up - had eight hits in the Dogs' doubleheader sweep of New London-Spicer on Monday, May 15.

"The Melrose game was a big letdown after unloading against New London-Spicer the day before," said coach Tim Woehler. "We emptied the bats against NL-S."

With the loss, the Dogs finished with a record of 8-6 in the WCC North, finishing fourth in the conference. Complete conference standings were: Minnewaska (12-2); LPGE (10-4); St. Cloud Cathedral (9-5); Paynesville (8-6); Sauk Centre (7-7); Melrose (6-8); Albany (2-12); and New London-Spicer (2-12).

Paynesville-- 000 000 0 - 01 4
Melrose-- 002 007 x - 9 13 1

Paynesville - Batting: Mel Mages 1-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Ashley Ogdahl (L) (6-13-9-5-1-5).

Melrose - Batting: Riemann 2-4 RBI-3 R; Berry 2-4 R; Carmen Worms 2-4 R; Lauren Worms 2-4 RBI; Varena Weber 2-3 2B R-2 RBI; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Weber (W) (7-1-0-0-1-12).

Paynesville 3, ACGC 2
The Dogs increased their school record for wins in their regular-season finale, defeating ACGC in a make-up game 3-2 on Friday for their 12th victory of the season.

Sophomore shortstop Carissa Utsch hit a two-run double in the third inning to give the Dogs the lead 3-1. ACGC cut that lead to 3-2 with a run in the fourth and loaded the bases in the top of the seventh. But junior leftfielder Chelsey Kalkbrenner threw out a runner at the plate, and senior Jess Engler ended the game with a strikeout.

Engler scattered nine hits for the pitching win for the Dogs.

ACGC-- 100 100 0 - 29 0
Paynesville-- 102 000 x - 3 6 2

ACGC - Batting: Rachel Wright 2-3 RBI; Kathy Lamecker 2-4; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Jasmine Peterson (2-4-1-1-1-0); Kalina Blackwell (L) (2-3-2-2-2-1); Ashley Schmeling (2-0-0-0-0-1).

Paynesville - Batting: Carissa Utsch 2-3 2B RBI-2; Allyson Klenke 2-3; Laura Schaefer 1-3; Chelsey Kalkbrenner 1-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Jess Engler (W) (7-9-2-1-2-6).



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