Photo by Ari Selvey: Wabasso's Camryn Irlbeck takes off for third base during the opening round of the Class A State Softball Tournament against Braham Wednesday at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

NORTH MANKATO — A valiant comeback effort from the No. 5 Wabasso softball team wasn’t enough to steal a win against No. 4 Braham in the Class A state quarterfinals on Wednesday at the Caswell Softball Complex. The Rabbits overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie the game up in the sixth inning, but Braham came up with a walk-off win by a score of 3-2 to send Wabasso down to the fifth-place bracket. From there, Wabasso lost 7-4 to No. 8 Blackduck to end their season.

Macy Rohlik and Delaina Eis each logged three hits on the day, including two doubles for Rohlik and one for Eis. Audrey Johnson also finished with a triple and a walk.

Wabasso finishes its season at 19-7. The Rabbits fielded a young team this season and graduate just one senior, Alivia Olson, who recorded a pair of singles in her final day as a member of the Wabasso softball team.

Wabasso 2

Wabasso first got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth when Audrey Johnson walked, advanced to second on an Aylah Jenniges sacrifice bunt and scored on a Macy Rohlik double. Two innings later, Rohlik doubled again, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Sara Carlson sacrifice fly into left field to knot the game up at two runs apiece.

Braham reclaimed its lead in the bottom of the seventh. Wabasso retired the first Bomber batter of the inning, but Morgan Rysdam singled, stole second and scored when Lauren Leniz reached on a Wabasso error at second to end the game.

The Rabbits loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh on an Aliva Olson single, Johnson reaching on a fielding error and Jenniges being hit by a pitch. Yet, a ground out left Wabasso without a run from the rally.

Rysdam hit a solo home run on the second pitch the Bombers faced in the game to give Braham an early lead, but Jenniges was effective in the circle from there. She didn’t give up an earned run for the remainder of her start for the Rabbits, finishing with three total runs allowed on six hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings. She also struck out four batters.

For the Bombers, Rysdam went the full seven innings, striking out five batters while giving up two earned runs on seven hits and a walk.

Rohlik and Olson each finished with two hits to lead the Wabasso batters while Johnson drew the team’s lone walk. Rysdam tallied two hits and a walk for the Bombers, but Wabasso out-hit Braham 7-6 on the day. 

Braham doubled its lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning when Olivia Kiesz hit a single to left field and scored when Leniz reached on a throwing error. Wabasso finished with three errors while Braham committed one. 

GAME 2

Wabasso 4

Blackduck took an early lead with two outs in the first. Isabel Ziegler lined a single into center field to get on base, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a McKenzie Bullock double into center. A catcher’s interference call also put Bella Bloom on base, but a fly out got Wabasso out of the inning without further damage. 

Kayleigh Lory led off the third with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored when Ziegler singled to center field and Wabasso committed a throwing error. Bullock then hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Zigler to make the score 3-0. 

Wabasso broke its scoring drought in the bottom of the third. Aylah Jenniges walked and Macy Rohlik singled to put two runners on, and Kayleigha Johnson beat out a fielder’s choice to drive in Jenniges. 

Camryn Irlbeck followed up by grounding a ball to short and reaching base on an error to load the bases, but a pop out ended the inning. 

From there, Wabasso kept pace with Blackduck but never took the lead. They responded to the Drakes’ fourth-inning run with one of their own, and Blackduck’s two fifth-inning runs with two of their own. That was the last time Wabasso crossed the plate, while Blackduck added one last insurance run in the seventh.

Jenniges gave up four earned and three unearned run in her seven-inning outing. She struck out one batter while giving up 11 hits and a walk.

Eis led the Rabbits with a single and a double in the game, while Carlson also reached base twice with a pair of walks. Johnson had a triple and an RBI while Irlbeck finished with a double and a run.

Blackduck scored in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly, but the Drakes tried to send a second runner home and Alexa Remiger made the throw to Kayleigha Johnson at the plate for the inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the frame, Eis lined a single at the pitcher and reached base on an error. The Drakes retired each of the next two Rabbits, but Jenniges reached base on another Blackduck error to score Eis and cut the deficit to 4-2.

To start the fifth, the Drakes strung together two singles and an error to load the bases with no outs. A fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly gave them a pair of runs, but Wabasso answered in the bottom of the frame.

Irlbeck opened the inning with a double and scored on an Eis double. With two outs, Audrey Johnson then tripled in Eis to bring the Rabbits back within a pair of runs.

Blackduck scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh and retired each of the first two Rabbits in the bottom of the frame. Eis reached on a single and Summer Strand singled to bring the tying run to the plate, but a pop out to third base ended the game.