Staff photo by Jeff Meder Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Cassie Goeglein (8) scores a run in front of Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop pitcher Halle Bleick (10) during a Tomahawk Conference softball game at MVL on Thursday.

NEW ULM — Minnesota Valley Lutheran came from behind to defeat Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 14-11 on Thursday in a Tomahawk Conference softball contest.

It was the first game of the season for both teams.

It was a run-fest from the start of the game to near the end of it. Defense was a challenge for both teams with errors, wild pitches and the wind blowing the softball in unpredictable places.

The Thunderbirds took advantage of some errors in the top of the first which resulted in three runs and a 3-0 lead. Michal Nachreiner reached on an error and she scored on Halle Bleick’s left-field double. Bleick scored later on Lauren Schaffer’s single. Schaffer scored on Mady Lee’s single.

MVL answered in the bottom of the first with one run. Karlee Prahl singled to left field with two outs. Ashlyn Rodewald’s double brought Prahl home.

GFW responded with three runs and four hits in the top of the second inning. Kailynn Hubred’s lead-off single got things going. Hubred scored on a hit. An error by MVL resulted in GFW’s second run of the inning. Ella Nachreiner’s single scored Lauren Schaffer.

The Chargers pushed three runs across in the bottom of the second. Two wild pitches by GFW and a hit by MVL cut the deficit to 6-5.

Bleick walked in the top of the fourth and scored later on a wild pitch. Taylor Schaffer singled to center field and scored on a sacrifice by Lauren Schaffer. It was 8-5 for GFW.

Kaitlynn Hubred drew a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth. Hubred scored on Taylor Schaffer’s infield single. Nachreiner singled and scored on a sacrifice.

Those two runs made it 10-5 for GFW.

Karlee Prahl’s leadoff double to center in the bottom of the fifth started what was a seven-run inning for the Chargers. MVL sent 11 batters to the plate. Cassie Goeglein’s double to center field brought in two runs which had MVL down 10-9.

Goeglein scored on an error to tie the game. Kathlyn Stadick reached base and Kenne Dressel walked before Briley Henderson’s single brought Stadick and Dressel home for a 12-10 MVL advantage.

GFW managed to score a run in the top of the sixth. The Thunderbirds loaded the bases when Bleick walked. Taylor Schaffer grounded out to end both the threat and the inning.

MVL tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Dalueg got an infield single and moved to second and third on wild pitches before scoring on an error. Goeglein reached on an error and advanced to second and third on wild pitches.

She scored on a sacrifice by Gunderson for the 14-11 final.

“After all the errors, it was nice to see us come back and get the win,” MVL head coach Katie Scherer said.

Stadick earned the win for MVL, pitching seven innings. She gave up five earned runs, 11 hits, she struck out nine batters and she had six walks.

Rodewald went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, while Prahl went 2 for 3. Henderson went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and Goeglein went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBIs.

Lee, Taylor Schaffer and Nachreiner all had two hits apiece to lead GFW. Bleick struck out six and walked two in six innings.

MVL (1-0, 1-0) will host Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart on Monday in a doubleheader.