The Red Lake Falls Eagles used two big innings to defeat the Wabasha-Kellogg Falcons in the Class A State Tournament Consolation Championship 9-4.
Wabasha-Kellogg took advantage of a Red Lake Falls error in the top of the first inning and Megan Solberg hit a 2-out double to give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead. The Eagles would answer back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Jayden Breiland would reach on a throwing error and make it all the way to third base. Bella Amiot would then reach base on a fielders choice, and Gabby Casavan would hit a rbi groundout to tie the game at 1-1. Greta Philipp would then deliver a rbi single to give the Eagles the 2-1 lead after one inning of play.
The Falcons would get two hits in the top of the second inning, but strand both runners in scoring position. Alexis Cota would draw a leadoff walk for the Eagles in the bottom of the second, but a 4-6-3 double play would eliminate the scoring chance, and leave the Eagles in front 2-1 after two innings of play.
The Falcons would tie the game back up at 2-2 in the top of the third on a solo home run from Jacqueline Avilez, and get another runner into scoring position, but the Eagles would turn a double play to end the threat.
Red Lake Falls would have a big bottom of the third inning. Jayden Breiland, Bella Amiot, and Gabby Casavan would all hit singles to start the inning, and after a throwing error, Breiland and Amiot would come in to score making it 4-2. Casavan would be thrown out at home trying to score on a passed ball for the first out of the inning, but Quinnlyn Kenfield would draw a walk, and her courtesy runner Shandi Nelson would come around to score on a 2-out single from Gretchen Cota, giving the Eagles a 5-2 lead after three innings of play.
Wabasha-Kellogg would get one hit and a walk in the top of the fourth inning but failed to score after a base runner was thrown out trying to advance to third.
The Eagles would break the game open for good in the bottom of the third inning. Once again, Jayden Breiland and Bella Amiot would both reach base, and this Gabby Casavan would bring them both home with a double to left-center field giving the Eagles a 7-2 lead. Greta Philipp would then hit a groundout to score Casavan, and the Eagles would get one more run on a 2-out single from Gretchen Cota to take a 9-2 lead into the fifth inning.
The Falcons would get one run back in the top of the fifth inning on 3 hits, but Bella Amiot would work out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the Eagles in front 9-3. Jayden Breiland would record her third hit of the day in the bottom of the fifth inning, but be left on base, keeping the game at 9-3 in favor of Red Lake Falls heading into the final two innings of play.
Wabasha-Kellogg would score one more in the top of the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 9-4, but once again Bella Amiot would work out of a bases-loaded jam to minimize the damage. The Eagles would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, leaving them with just three outs to get to become the Class A State Tournament Consolation Champions.
Bella Amiot would get a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh, and the Eagles would secure their best finish in program history with a 9-4 win over Wabasha-Kellogg in the Class A State Tournament Consolation Championship.
Red Lake Falls ends their season with a final record of 26-2 and a State Class A Consolation championship for the best finish in program history.
FOR RED LAKE FALLS COACH BEN HANSON’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Wabasha-K | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 5 |
| Red Lake Falls | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | 11 | 5 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Bella Amiot – RLF (WP) | 7 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Sophie Graner- Wab-Kell (LP) | 6 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
For Red Lake Falls –
Jayden Breiland 3 for 4, 3 runs, SB
Gretchen Cota 2 for 3, 2 rbi
Gabby Casavan 2 for 4, 3 rbi
Greta Philipp 1 for 4, 2 rbi
Bella Amiot 1 for 4, 3 runs, 2 SB
For Wabasha-Kellogg –
Megan Solberg 3 for 3, rbi, BB
Brielle Adams 2 for 3, BB
Jacqueline Avilez 2 for 4, home run, 2 runs
PICTURES COURTESY OF JASON KENFIELD OF RED LAKE FALLS
