The win against West redeemed a 7-3 loss from the regular season for the Eagles, and defense and patient approaches at the plate led them there.

“I think we just played team defense all around,” New Ulm’s Ramsey Hopp said. “I don’t think we had an error all game. And I think we worked together and never got down, even when we had some plays that probably weren’t our favorite.”

New Ulm’s Kenzie Enter said that it was a big boost for the team to prove they could beat West and stay in the winners bracket.

“It means everything,” she said. “We did not play our best today either, so being able to beat them not at our best gives us a lot of confidence.”

Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm’s Lauren Schmiesing (left), Kenzie Enter (middle) and Bridget Roiger (6) celebrate after making a double play during Section 2AAA Softball Tournament game against Worthington Thursday at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

The Eagles also had a strong approach at the plate on the day, striking out just three times between the two games as a team.

“I think we’re just putting the ball into play right now,” Hopp said. “You’re forcing other defenses to make plays, and that’s all you can ask for.”

Defensively, the team was playing together and coming up clutch to leave opposing runners stranded.

“Definitely picking each other up, keeping our confidence,” Enter said. “I know we lost to them earlier in the season, but we also did not play our best that game, so we just knew we had to pick each other up and keep going.”

Miley Flor earned the win for New Ulm in the game against Worthington, striking out three while allowing five earned runs on 13 hits in five innings. Megan Brudelie pitched two scoreless innings, walking one. At the plate for the Eagles, Enter was 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs, while Mya Hornick was 2 for 4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Maddie Backer was 2 for 3 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored, while Hopp and Bridgette Roiger each had two hits and a run scored.

New Ulm scored in five of the six innings they were up to bat, with big innings coming in the first and third. After letting up a run in the first, New Ulm scored four runs, starting with a single from Backer, who stole second and went all the way home on the throw to second that ended up in the outfield. Hopp followed that with a single, then a double from Schmiesing set up Wilfahrt for a double that scored them both. Finally, Wilfahrt came home as Hornick singled, putting the Eagles up 4-1.

New Ulm added one more run in the second, then after letting in another Worthington run, scored three in the third as Hornick, Gracie Baker and Backer picked up RBIs. Hornick singled to get Schmiesing home, Baker put a ball into play that scored Hornick, then a sacrifice fly from Backer brought home Roiger to make it a 8-2 game.

One more run in the fourth extended the lead to 9-2, but a three-run fifth inning from the Trojans cut it back to 9-5. However, a solo homer from Enter and two solid defensive innings closed out the game with a win.

Hopp got the win over West, striking out five and allowing one earned run on six hits and no walks. At the plate, Hopp was 2 for 2 with an RBI, while Brudelie had a hit and a run scored. Enter and Wilfahrt each had hits, while Hornick had an RBI.

Backer once again got New Ulm on the board right away, drawing a walk, stealing second, taking third on a bunt from Enter, then scoring on a single from Hopp. After a scoreless second inning, New Ulm scored again in the third as Brudelie bunted herself to first, went all the way to third on a bunt from Baker, then scored on an error put into play by Backer to extend the lead to 2-0.

West struck back in the bottom of the inning, getting a run across on two hits, but the Eagles got the run back in the fourth, with Hopp singling, then courtesy runner Hadley Batt moved to third by a single from Wilfahrt and then home on a groundout put into play by Hornick.

Three tense innings followed, with New Ulm putting together strong defensive efforts. Right fielder Addison Hage robbed a home run in the bottom of the fourth to prevent two runs from scoring. West threatened to score again in the seventh, putting runners on first and second, but Enter, who was busy on defense with three assists and four putouts, got the final out with a throw to first.

New Ulm now gets another chance at a revenge game as they will take on top-seeded Mankato East, who defeated the Eagles three times last year, including twice in the second playoffs, Saturday at Caswell Park.

“We just have to work together, do what we do,” Hopp said. “We don’t have to do anything, we just have to play together and play for each other.”

Enter added that the team can still play better than they did on Thursday, and they would have to bring their best to beat East.

“Just keep our confidence,” she said. “[East pitcher Kylinn] Stangl is really good, but we know we can hit her, we’ve done it before. We’ve just got to keep our confidence, pick each other up, and we’ll be fine.”