Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm Cathedral’s Megan Haala prepares to deliver a pitch as Nicollet’s Sam Kettner gets ready to run at first base during a nonconference sofball game Monday at Harman Park in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — It’s an entirely new season, but New Ulm Cathedral was still glad to get a big win over the team that eliminated them from the Section 2A tournament last season.

The Greyhounds flexed their muscles in more than one area Monday afternoon at Harman Park with a 10-2 win over the Nicollet Raiders in a six-inning nonconference softball game.

The game was called in six innings due to incoming inclement weather.

The Raiders defeated the Greyhounds in the Section 2A title game last season to earn a trip to the state tournament, where they eventually won Nicollet High School’s first-ever state championship. But after graduating some key players, including the team’s two starting pitchers over the last several years in Marah Hulke and Hayley Selby, the Raiders have had to adjust and go through a learning process early this season.

The Greyhounds have their ace pitcher Megan Haala back this season, however, and she finished Monday’s game allowing five hits and a walk while striking out eight.

“We definitely redeemed ourselves from last season because we struggled against them,” she said. “But this year we came in hot and I think we just kept our own. We knew they were going to be good hitters, but we just did what we could.”

Haala also led the Greyhounds at the plate, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Also for Cathedral, Lily Brennan was 2 for 3 with a double, while Jaylin Hartness was 2 for 3 with an RBI, Jenna Hotovec was 2 for 4 with a three-run homer and and Helget was 2 for 4 with a two-run homer.

Nicollet starting pitcher Emma Drill had her moments in the circle against a powerful Cathedral lineup, but the Greyhounds broke things open against the Raiders later in the game behind a four-run fifth inning.

Drill ended up giving up 13 hits and a walk while striking out three.

The Raiders had their share of mishaps in the field also, however, committing five errors.

Nicollet was led at the plate by Leah Bode and Ellie Matter, who each went 2 for 3.

The Greyhounds took a 2-0 lead in the first after an RBI single by Haala scored Brennan. Hotovec, who singled after Brennan’s double, later scored on an errant throw to home.

The Raiders got a run back in the top of the second after a groundout by Izzy Torgerson allowed Bode to sneak home and score.

The Greyhounds pushed three more runners across the plate in the bottom of the inning, however, led by Helget’s two-run homer.

The Raiders had their best inning of the game in the fourth when they strung together three singles off the bats of Sam Kettner, Bode and Ellie Matter. Kettner ended up scoring after a pickoff attempt from home plate got away from third base.

But a flyout, a walk and a strikeout ended the inning with the Raiders leaving the bases full.

After Haala singled to score Helget in the fourth, Kettner’s sliding grab in left field with two outs saved at least one run for the Raiders as the Greyhounds took a 6-2 lead into the fifth.

The Greyhounds’ four-run fifth, highlighted on a three-run homer from Hotovec, gave them the 10-2 lead. After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, the game was called due to an approaching storm.

Haala’s bat and arm did more than enough work for the Greyhounds to secure the win Monday, but her teammates were also a big help and have been a big help all season so far.

“It really helps me that I can trust my teammates,” Haala said. “Because it relieves a lot of pressure off of me so I don’t have to do everything myself, which I know I don’t because they’re always good hitters and I know I can rely on them to fill it in.”

The Greyhounds moved to 10-3 on the year with the win and travels to Springfield for a Tomahawk Conference game on Thursday. The Raiders host Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Tuesday.