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Big first inning helps Knights claim 3rd place at state

Photo courtesy of Don Borstad Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s Kelsie Kosak slides home in the third-place game against Hayfield on Friday at Caswell Park. The Knights won 15-2 in five innings.

NORTH MANKATO — Barely 12 hours after a tough loss to New York Mills in the Class A semifinals, the Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s softball team had the task of putting that loss behind them and finishing the season on a high note.

The Knights jumped all over Hayfield, scoring nine times in the first inning en route to a 15-2 pounding of Hayfield in five innings on Friday at Caswell Park. The Knights finish the season 24-3.

Junior shortstop Jody Hansen was 4 for 4, including a two-run home run in the top of the first that ignited the scoring. She had four RBIs and three runs scored.

Ali Beltz was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Dani Weiss was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and three runs scored and Mallory Helget was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

“I think just coming into the game today, we had the mindset that we had to be excited to be where we were at and just come in and go out as winners,” Hansen said. “We just came in determined and focused and hopefully try to get this one.”

Anna Lux went five innings for the win. She allowed four hits and she struck out three and walked four.

“Our bats were going and it was so much easier pitching with the run support,” Lux said.

The first inning was big for the Knights. They sent 12 batters to the plate and scored nine times. The highlight of the inning came on Hansen’s two-run blast to dead center. After that, the Knights’ offense seemed to be unstoppable.

“It’s great, to always score first is always good,” Hansen said. “It gave everyone else a little bit of confidence.”

Hayfield scored twice in the bottom of the first, but the Knights tacked on five more runs in the top of the third to go up 14-2. They scored another run in the fourth for the final 15-2 margin.

The Knights graduate six seniors, including Lux, who had a memorable career for the Knights.

“It’s awesome, we’ve been playing together for years, especially Anna, she’s been pitching for years and it’s nice she gets to go out with a win,” Hansen said.

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