WELCOME — The No. 6-seeded Nicollet Raiders struggled to handle the No. 3-seeded Martin County West Mavericks Friday as the Mavericks earned a 5-1 win in the second round of the Section 2A Softball Tournament.

The Mavericks (19-3) now move on in the winners bracket and play at 10 a.m. Saturday against No. 2-seeded New Ulm Cathedral at Caswell Park in North Mankato. Cathedral defeated MCW on May 15 at Caswell Park in the Tomahawk-Valley Conference title game, giving the Mavericks a chance to get payback Saturday in the playoffs.

A loss to Cathedral would bump MCW into elimination play Saturday, while a win moves the Mavericks on to the section semifinals at 12 p.m. Saturday.

The Raiders (13-7), meanwhile, fall to the elimination bracket with the loss to MCW and play Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey at 10 a.m. Saturday at Caswell Park. A loss in that game ends the Raiders’ season, while a win moves them on to another elimination game at 12 p.m. Saturday.

Maddie Carlson was in control in the circle for the Mavericks as she struck out 14 to earn the complete-game win. She allowed three hits and one walk for one unearned run.

Carlson also dominated at the plate, going 3 for 4 with an RBI.

The Mavericks took a 2-0 lead in the second on a two-run homer to left by Courtney Anderson, who finished 2 for 4. Emily Schettler grounded out to score another run later in the inning to make it 3-0. An Addy Wohlhuter RBI single highlighted a third inning that saw MCW go up 5-0. Wohlhuter finished the game 2 for 3 at the plate.

The Raiders got their lone run in the fourth when Leah Bode, who singled to lead off, scored on a passed ball.

Jazmyn Goettlicher and Taylor Wilking each added a single for Nicollet’s other two hits in the game. Bode took the loss in the circle for Nicollet, allowing 10 hits and a walk for four earned runs while striking out three in six innings.