File photo by Jake McNeill Wabasso’s Kayleigha Johnson connects with a pitch during the Section 3A Softball Tournament title game against Edgerton on May 29 in Marshall.

NORTH MANKATO — Going 14 years without seeing the state softball tournament was a long wait for the Wabasso Rabbits, who will open the Class A State Softball Tournament at Caswell Park on Tuesday against the Braham Bombers.

But the Rabbits’ long wait was nothing compared to the wait their first-round state opponents have had.

While the Rabbits punched their state ticket this past Thursday for the first time since 2010, the last and only other time the Bombers were in the state tournament before this year was 1985. The Rabbits will be looking to make something happen in the state tournament, but they couldn’t have been matched up with a much hungrier program.

The Rabbits (19-6) were seeded fifth in the tournament, while the Bombers (22-2) got the fourth seed after winning the Section 4A title this past Thursday with an 8-1 win over West Lutheran.

Wabasso won the Section 3A title this past Thursday with a 5-1 win over Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian in Marshall.

Despite ending the regular season with an 8-3 home loss to Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, the Rabbits picked the perfect time to bounce back and make a run in the Section 3A playoffs, beating Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 11-1 in a five-inning tournament opener and then defeating BOLD 4-0 later in the day. A 5-3 win over Yellow Medicine East on May 24 moved Wabasso on to the section semifinals against Lac qui Parle Valley, where two days were needed to finish that game thanks to a weather suspension.

The 3A semifinals started on May 27, but rain and storms rolled through Marshall, suspending the rest of the game until May 28, where the Rabbits completed a 10-6 comeback win to move to the finals on May 28.

After finishing the 2023 season two wins shy of state and finishing last season just one win shy, the Rabbits weren’t going to let this year get away from them.

The Bombers’ postseason run to state included wins over Atwater-Cosmos-Grover City and PACT Charter on May 22, winning 9-3 and 10-0, respectively, and a 2-1 semifinals win over West Lutheran on May 23. After West Lutheran won an elimination game over Lester Prairie to earn a rematch with Braham, the Bombers took care of business 8-1 on May 29 to qualify for the state tourney.

Wabasso, which will be making its ninth state appearance overall, will be looking to end its time in the tournament Friday by partying like it’s 1999, the last and only time the Rabbits won the Class A state title.

Leading the Rabbits this year at state will be junior pitcher Aylah Jenniges, who brings a 2.43 ERA and a WHIP of 1.16 into the state tournament. She has 120 strikeouts while allowing 143 hits and 37 walks in 155 1/3 innings pitched.

In the postseason, Jenniges has picked her game up even more with a 1.70 ERA, a WHIP of 1.06 and an opponent batting average of .194.

Macy Rohlik has led the Wabasso bats all season with a team-best .329 batting average, while Audrey Johnson isn’t far behind with a .321 batting average. Camryn Irlbeck brings the most pop to the Rabbits’ lineup with a slugging percentage of .487 and two home runs to go with a .289 batting average. Jenniges has had a nice season at the plate also for Wabasso by hitting .287, while Sara Carlson has hit .276.

Rohlik continued her plate dominance in the postseason by hitting .588 in five games. Delaina Eis also had a nice postseason at the plate for Wabasso, hitting .438 in five games.

The Rabbits’ lone senior and first baseman Alivia Olson is hitting .225 at the plate while remaining consistent in the field with a .951 fielding percentage. Also in the field, nobody has had a more consistent glove for the Rabbits than catcher Kayleigha Johnson, who has a .993 fielding percentage with just one error. Left fielder Audrey Johnson isn’t far behind with a .951 fielding percentage.

Braham, the Great River Conference Small Division champions, has four senior leaders on the team this year in Addy White, Ayla Anderson, Alex Rysdam and Kori Olson.

Alex Rysdam is the team’s All-State pitcher who has pitched every game with just 1.5 runs allowed per game. She passed 500 career strikeouts this season and will surely be a tough test for Wabasso hitters to start the tournament against.

The Bombers are led at the plate by Alex Rysdam’s sophomore catcher and sister Morgan Rysdam, who is hitting over .500 this season and is an All-State Honorable Mention. Sophomore third baseman Lauren Leniz is hitting over .400 for the Bombers this season.

The Bombers and Rabbits are scheduled to take the field at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on Field 2. Tickets must be purchased online at www.mshsl.org/tickets to gain entry to Tuesday’s game.