Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm Cathedral’s Sarah Mohr (2) slides into home before Wabasso’s Sarah Franta can tag her during the Greyhounds win Thursday at Harman Park in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — It was a misty, chilly home opener at Harman Park on Thursday, but New Ulm Cathedral’s bats warmed up in a hurry after a 10-run second inning, helping lead the Greyhounds to a 13-2 Tomahawk Conference softball win over Wabasso in five innings.

Josie Pautzke started in the circle for Cathedral, pitching all five innings and allowing two earned runs on two walks, three hits and one hit batter. She also added three strikeouts.

Both runs surrendered by Pautzke came in the first two innings, but she began to settle in in the later innings, getting plenty of solid defense from her teammates behind her.

“I think it was just kind of nerves getting into it, the first game is always a little nerve-racking for everyone,” Pautzke said of her opening innings. “So I think just getting into the groove later on really helped. I think the first few pitches were a little shaky.”

The Rabbits struck right away in the top of the first inning, getting an RBI double by Megan Rothmeier to score Jenna Frank, who reached after being hit by a pitch. The Greyhounds hit back in the bottom of the first inning, getting a leadoff double by Sarah Mohr, who ended the day with two doubles, a single, a walk and three runs scored.

Mohr didn’t end up scoring that inning after being forced out at home, but a bases-loaded walk by Abby Beranek brought in the first run to knot things up at 1-all after one inning. Allison Fenger put Wabasso up 2-1 in the second inning after drawing a walk, stealing a base and scoring on an errant throw into left field.

The bottom of the inning saw Cathedral run away with things for 10 runs. The Greyhounds were led that inning by a two-run double from Mohr, an RBI double from Lily Franta and an RBI single each by Pautzke, Heidi Hoffman and Beranek.

“I’m so proud of them,” Pautzke said of her team. “Our hitting came out when it needed to come out, and it’s nice to look up at the scoreboard and see that we’ve got a nice lead. But I’ve got to keep pitching, I’ve got to keep doing well.”

Cathedral added two more runs in the fourth inning to help set up the early end to the game. Mohr led off with a bunt single and later scored on a wild pitch before Pautzke grounded out to bring home Kenzie Hose, who reached base earlier on a single.

Frank got a one-out infield single in the bottom of the fifth, but Mohr fielded a ground ball, stepped on second and fired to first for the game-ending double play.

Lily Franta added two hits and an RBI for Cathedral.

Cora Eichten added a leadoff double for Wabasso in the fourth inning. Sarah Franta took the loss in the circle for the Rabbits with 1 2/3 innings pitched, allowing 10 runs on five hits, six walks and two hit batters.

She struck out one.

Cathedral (1-0, 1-0) is at Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s for a 5 p.m. conference game Tuesday, while Wabasso (0-1, 0-1) hosts St. Mary’s at 5 p.m. Monday.