Ramsey Hopp took the loss for New Ulm, getting six strikeouts while allowing five earned runs on nine hits and five walks in 7 1/3 innings pitched. Hopp also led the team at the plate, going 2 for 4. Kenzie Enter was 1 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs, while Calyn Glaser was 1 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI. Bryanna Aschenbrenner was 1 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI for the Eagles as well.

The Giants drew first blood with an RBI single in the first. New Ulm struck back in the second, scoring all seven of their runs in the game, highlighted by Enter’s three-RBI triple to bring home Berkley Wilfahrt, Glaser and Brooklyn Lewis.

The Giants began their comeback in the bottom of the second, scoring two runs on two hits. They scored again in the third to cut the lead to 7-4, but Hopp retired all three batters she faced in the fourth inning.

That ended up being the only inning LSH didn’t score in, however, as they scored once in each of the next three innings to send the game into the eighth tied at 7-7. The Eagles got one batter on base in the eighth with two outs, with Glaser drawing a walk, but they failed to bring her around the bases.

New Ulm’s Ramsey Hopp delivers a pitch against Le Sueur-Henderson in the Section 2AA Softball Championship game at Caswell Park in North Mankato on Thursday.

LSH loaded up the bases in their half of the inning, and a hard-hit ball to shortstop was enough to get the runner home as the Giants came away with the victory.

New Ulm finishes their season 16-7 and runners-up in the section. Eagles head coach Kristi Andersen Loose said that the team had worked hard to get to where they were.

“These girls put everything they had into this season, especially the section tournament,” Andersen Loose said. “The seniors represented Eagles softball to a tee, and it is so incredibly tough to see the season end this way. We all wanted it bad for each other and for the seniors. The girls will be back in action next year and make it right for the seniors that aren’t able to be here anymore and come back and get ourselves back in position for the state tournament.”

Next season, New Ulm will be moving up to Section 2AAA, making the competition to get to state even harder, but Andersen Loose believes that the team will still be in the running for top of the section.

“Our Eagles’ softball presence will still be here,” Andersen Loose said. “We obviously have big holes to fill in our two seniors with left field [Aschenbrenner] and first base [Glaser]. I know the girls will work hard in the offseason to get back into prime form. We move to a new section and a new class next year, so we’ll be with Mankato East and Mankato West and move up to triple-A, so they’re going to have their work cut out for them, but they’ll be up for it and be ready.”