Gator softball claims “Coaches Classic” title
By: Ryan Bergeron
The sky was grey, and the temperature and wind chilled one’s bones on Saturday, April 25 for the Gator “Coaches Classic” softball tournament in Greenbush. Despite these conditions, the Gators had a hot day on both sides of the ball, defeating the Grafton Spoilers 6-5, Grand Forks Central Knights 8-4, and Grand Forks Red River Roughriders 10-0 en route to the title.
Gators 6 Spoilers 5
In a back and forth, high drama affair, the Gators came out on top with some key hits and a strong pitching performance to lead them to an opening round 6-5 victory over the Grafton Spoilers.
Despite five errors behind her, starting Gator pitcher Julia Stenberg threw an effective game, surrendering five runs, one earned, on seven hits, and striking out nine.
“She was really good. I thought she made two poor pitches, but really with some of the mistakes our defense made, I thought Julia did a nice job,” Gator Head Coach Kent Christian said.
Asked about his pitcher picking up nine strikeouts, he responded, “She had nine. I didn’t even know to be honest with you,” Coach Christian said. “I guess we got to give some credit to Hannah Anderson too, our catcher, calling in a nice game. Julia moves the ball in and out really well.”
Despite the defense committing those five errors, it came up big in the seventh inning. After the Gators allowed the Spoilers to cut its lead to one on a Jill Hanson RBI single, the Spoilers had runners at first and third with just one out. During an at bat versus the Spoilers’ Betsy Jiskra, Gator catcher Anderson threw down to third, while a Spoiler runner stole second, and Brenna Dallager laid down the quick tag to nail the runner, Megan Osowski at third, drawing cheers from the Gator fans. Stenberg finished off the job, striking Jiskra out on an off speed pitch, to leave a Spoilers runner on second.
“We have a first and third call there and we did have the throw called to third,” Coach Christian said, “but (with) the little bit of a wild pitch, everything’s kind of thrown out of whack there, but Hannah came up and Brenna stood in there well and got the out.”
As the home team on the scoreboard, Grafton would take the first lead of the game in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff double, Megan Osowski scored from second on a throwing error by Gator catcher Anderson, when Osowski attempted to steal third. The Spoilers added to the lead on a Jade Hanson RBI single.
Trailing 2-0, the Gator offense responded in the top of the fourth inning. With runners on second and third and no outs after singles by Dallager and Taylor Becker, Dallager came around to score on a wild pitch and, now at third, Becker scored on an Abbie Brockhouse sacrifice fly to center, tying the game.
The Spoilers responded in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of a two out error by Gracei Gullikson at second base. With runners at second and third, Jiskra ripped a two RBI single down the right field line to put the Gators back in a two-run hole.
Yet again, the Gators responded, scoring three runs thanks to RBI singles by Becker, Josee Locken, and Amy Svir. The Gators added what would prove to be a key insurance run in the seventh when Gracei Gullikson scored from third after a throwing error on a ground ball hit by Dallager.
Offensively Dallager led the way, going two for four at the plate and reaching all four times thanks to Spoilers errors.
“I like having her (Dallager) in the line up. That’s for sure,” Coach Christian said. “She’s a good hitter... She has an approach with her at-bats, has a good idea what she wants to do, and she’s good.”
Becker also went to two for four at the plate for the Gators.
Hanson led the Spoilers with two hits. Osowski took the loss in the pitching circle, surrendering six runs, five earned, on two walks and ten hits, and striking out two.