By Alex Berg
Journal Sports Writer
NEW ULM - New Ulm Cathedral defeated Mayer Lutheran 12-0 in its first game of the Section 2A softball playoffs Tuesday at Harman Park.
Article Photos
Staff photo by Steve Muscatello
New Ulm Cathedral’s MacKinnon Ehlenz slides safely into home during the Greyhounds’ Section 2A playoff win against Mayer Lutheran Tuesday at Harman Park in New Ulm.
For more photos of this event go to cu.nujournal.com
"We hit the ball well," New Ulm Cathedral head coach Bob Mertz said. "We did a great job waiting for our pitch and being patient up there."
The Greyhounds jumped ahead to an early 2-0 lead in the first ining when Lisa Helget and Karlee Pfaff hit consecutive run-scoring doubles.
Ali Brey started the second inning for Cathedral with a single and came around to score on a two-run triple off of the right field fence by MacKinnon Ehlenz. Anne Schwarz and Brey doubled later in the inning to cap off a seven-run inning.
"I knew we had to start off the game by getting runs to get the momentum," Ehlenz said. "This was an important game because we had to win in order to keep going."
Ehlenz scored twice and drove in two runs.
Kristi Larson started the third inning off with a double, Amy Eckstein walked, and both came around to score on a two-out, two-run single from Schwarz to give Cathedral an 11-0 lead after three innings.
"Once one person gets going, everybody seems to join in," Schwarz said. "It is a team effort."
Schwarz went 2-for-3 in the game.
Larson went 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.
"The last third of the season, they have all been hitting the ball really well," Mertz said. "You can attribute that to their discipline."
Brey started for the Greyhounds. She allowed just one hit over three shutout innings. She struck out four and did not walk a batter.
Molly Forst's RBI double in the fourth inning pushed the score to 12-0.
Kristin Mohr and Leah Krzmarzick each pitched a scoreless inning in relief for Cathedral.
"It was nice to get a shutout today and use all three pitchers," Mertz said. "We probably won't get to do that again, but it was nice to use them all today."
Megan Strehlke allowed 12 runs on 13 hits over four innings for the Crusaders. She walked eight and struck out one.
Krianna Boelke, Sarah Buttenhoff and Shelby Sicheneder had the three hits for Mayer Lutheran.
New Ulm Cathedral will play Minnesota Valley Lutheran at 11 a.m. at Caswell Park in North Mankato on Saturday.
"They have got a nice pitcher over there," Mertz said of MVL. "We are going to have to hit the ball as well as we did tonight."