The Red Lake Falls Eagles Softball team won the Section 8A Championship this afternoon with a 9-7 win over the Badger-Greenbush/Middle River Gators. BGMR took a 6-0 lead, but Red Lake Falls scored eight unanswered runs, including a grand slam from Gabby Casavan to come from behind and win the game, punching their ticket to the Class A State Tournament next week in North Mankato. “We’ve put so much work in for this moment and it’s pretty incredible to know we are going to play in the State Tournament,” said Eagles Senior Gabby Casavan. The trip to state with be the fourth in program history with previous appearances in 2012, 2013, and 2017.
Both teams had good chances in the first couple of innings. BGMR would get two hits from Kinsley Hanson and Jacey Wojchowksi in the top of the first inning, but strand both on base. Red Lake Falls would also strand two runners on base in the bottom of the first inning after Jayden Breiland walked, and Quinnlyn Kenfield singled. Both teams would also go scoreless in the second inning leaving us tied at 0-0 after two innings of play.
BGMR finally broke through in the top of the third inning. The Gators got a 2-out single from Jacey Wojchowksi, and after a stolen base, a hit from Cassie Dahl would plate the first run of the game. Red Lake Falls would then commit a throwing error on the next at bat allowing another run to come across and score, and after another 2-out hit, BGMR led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning.
Hailey Broden would lead off the bottom of the third with a walk, and Jayden Brieland followed with a single to put runners on first and second base. BGMR would once again get out of the jam getting three straight outs to keep a 3-0 lead after three innings of play.
BGMR would add three more runs in the top of the fourth inning with back-to-back hits to start the inning, a sacrifice fly from Kinsley Hanson, and a Home Run from Jacey Wojchowski. That gave the Gators a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
Red Lake Falls would load the bases in the bottom of the fourth with hits from Greta Phillip and Gretchen Cota, as well as a walk from Hailey Broden. That would bring Jayden Breiland to the plate with two outs. Breiland would deliver a 2-out single to give Red Lake Falls their first run of the game. After Bella Amiot reached on an error, that would bring Gabby Casavan to the plate with the bases loaded and BGMR in front 6-2. The momentum of the game changed in Red Lake Falls favor after this at bat and never got back on the Gators side. Casavan almost hit a home run in her first at-bat of the game, but this time she would get all of a pitch and hit a grand slam over the center field fence to tie the game at 6-6. The Eagles would plate one more run in the inning after Kenfield would reach on an error, and Phillip and Cota each delivered their second hits of the inning. BGMR would bring starting pitcher Kinsley Hanson back into the game, and she would get the final out of the inning, but Red Lake Falls would take a 7-6 lead into the fifth inning. “It was such a nice feeling taking the lead and knowing we can overcome anything,” said Eagles Senior Gabby Casavan. “We believe in one another and know we can comeback from anything including a 6 run deficit.”
BGMR would get two-out hits from Teagan Landsrud and Jordan Lee and threaten in the top of the fifth inning. The Eagles would make a pitching change themselves and bring Bella Amiot in to pitch, and she would get the final out of the inning, keeping Red Lake Falls in front 7-6. “Bella is definitely my better counterpart in the circle,” said Eagles Senior Gabby Casavan. “She always holds her own and I can always count on her to come in and get the job done and end the game for me like she did today.”
The Eagles would add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with one run. Jayden Breiland would reach on an error, and Amiot would drive her in with a double to give the Eagles an 8-6 lead with two innings remaining.
BMGR would get one run back in the top of the sixth inning when Jacey Wojchowksi hit a double, advanced to third on a flyout, and came home on a wild pitch. That would cut the lead to 8-7, but the Eagles would get the run right back in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 9-7 lead into the final inning.
Red Lake Falls would need three outs to make a trip to the State Tournament, and Bella Amiot would deliver just that, keeping BGMR off the scoreboard, and giving Red Lake Falls the 9-7 win to claim the Section 8A Championship.
Red Lake Falls improves to 24-1 and will now play next week in the Class A State Tournament in North Mankato. The tournament will be held on Thursday June 9, and Friday June 10. “We feel very good about our chances to compete at the State Tournament,” said Eagles Senior Gabby Casavan. “We’re ready for the moment and ready to go.”
BGMR ends its season with a final record of 21-4.
RED LAKE FALLS COACH BEN HANSON’S COMMENTS ARE BELOW.
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| BGMR | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 3 |
| RLF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | – | 9 | 10 | 3 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Gabby Casavan- RLF (WP) | 4.2 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Bella Amiot- RLF (S) | 2.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kinsley Hanson- BGMR | 4.1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Lauren Stenberg- BGMR | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sierra Westberg- BGMR (LP) | 0.2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
For Red Lake Falls –
Gabby Casavan 1 for 3, Grand Slam, BB
Jayden Breiland 2 for 4, 2 runs, rbi, BB
Gretchen Cota 2 for 3, rbi, run, BB
Greta Philipp 2 for 4, run
Hailey Broden 1 for 2, rbi, run, BB, HBP
For BGMR –
Jacey Wojchowksi 4 for 4, Home Run, 2 runs, rbi
Asher Burslie 1 for 2, 2 BB, SB
Jordan Lee 2 for 3, run
Theron Kuznia 2 for 4
