No. 3S E/SWC 6, No. 6S RTR 5

OLIVIA — A solid offensive outing wasn’t enough for the No. 6S Russell-Tyler-Ruthton softball team to extend its season in the first round of the Section 3A tournament on Tuesday. Taking on a No. 3S Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian squad that’s reached the section championship game in every season since at least 2013, the Knights were able to get a tying run in the top of the seventh but were walked off 6-5.

Laken Baartman led off the top of the seventh by drawing an intentional walk and promptly scored on an RBI single by Grace DeVries. DeVries advanced to second on the late throw home before being replaced by courtesy runner Joee Thooft, but a strikeout and two pop outs left the go-ahead run stranded.

In the bottom of the frame, a single and an error put the winning run into scoring position for the Dutchmen. Jaida Fricke got a strikeout to put one away, but an RBI single handed E/SWC the walk-off win.

DeVries led the RTR offense with two hits and three RBIs, while Paisley Thooft contributed a pair of hits and a walk. Baartman has been one of the area’s strongest hitters this season but didn’t get a chance at the plate, getting intentionally walked in each of her final three at-bats of the day.

An RTR error with two outs in the second gave E/SWC the game’s first run, but RTR claimed its first lead of the day in the top of the third. A Jenna Lovre single and walks to Taylin and Paisley Thooft loaded the bases with one out, and Fricke drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly.

After a walk to Baartman, DeVries lined a two-run single into right field for a 3-1 Knights lead. Still, the lead was short-lived as the Dutchmen scored a pair of runs to tie it in the bottom of the frame.

Fricke pitched all 6 1/3 innings for RTR, striking out 11 batters but surrendering four earned runs on 10 hits and a walk.

Kynsi VanderPlaats singled before scoring a go-ahead run for RTR on a Paisley Thooft single in the sixth, but E/SWC answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim a 5-4 lead.

RTR finishes its season at 11-10, marking a stark improvement from last year’s 7-14 finish.

BOX SCORE

BATTING

P. Thooft: 2-3, BB, RBI, R; J. Fricke: 0-3, RBI; L. Baartman: 0-1, 3 BB, R, SB; G. DeVries: 2-4, 3 RBI; D. Cruz: 0-3, BB, SO; K. VanderPlaats: 1-4, SO; J. Lovre: 1-4, R; P. Johansen: 0-2, R; T. Thooft: 1-2, BB, R, SO.

PITCHING

J. Fricke: L, 6.1 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 4 ER, BB, 11 SO.

No. 4 Redwood Valley 8, No. 5 Minneota/Canby 3

JACKSON — The No. 5 Minneota/Canby softball team couldn’t quite find the answers to fully comeback from an early five-run deficit, and suffered an 8-3 loss to fourth-seeded Redwood Valley on Tuesday in the Section 3AA first round. The loss ends the Vikings’ 2026 season at 18-6 overall.

Redwood had two different players go 3 for 4 at the plate along with totaling 13 hits on the day to pull ahead. The Cardinals scored two runs in the opening inning and added on another three in the second, while the Vikings were held quiet until they could get on the board with two runs in the fourth.

Courtney Antony sparked some momentum with a two-run RBI double on a fly ball to left field, allowing McKenzie Bednarek and Jayla Jerzak enough time to charge home to cut into a 5-2 deficit.

Jerzak initially singled on a grould ball to left field while Bednarek hit a double to reach base.

The Vikings’ final run came in their final plate appearance in the top of the seventh with a Madison Hennen homerun out to left field.

But, a trio of ground-out plays made by the Cardinals halted the Vikings from getting any more offense going to end the game.

Minneota/Canby had eight hits in the game, each coming from different players. Both the Vikings and Cardinals played a clean slate with no errors.

Hennen pitched her final game in her stellar Vikings’ career on Tuesday, having been a consistent and reliable staple for the team in the pitching circle. She finished her complete-game with eight strikeouts, allowing two walks.

Minneota/Canby graduates a strong group of seniors in Hennen, Joelle Otto, Izabelle Hulzebos and Antony.

BATTING

J. Otto: 1-3; M. Bednarek: 1-3, R; J. Jerzak: 1-3, R; C. Antony: 1-3, 2RBI; I. Hulzebos: 1-3; M. Hennen: 1-3, R, (HR), RBI; G. Buysse: 1-3; A. Van Watermeulen: 1-3.

PITCHING

M. Hennen: 6 IP, 8 SO, 13H, 8ER, 2BB.

No. 5 Sleepy Eye 5, No. 12 RRC/WWG 1

SLEEPY EYE — Despite a late comeback attempt in the final inning, the No. 12 Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove softball team’s season came to an end with a 5-1 loss to fifth-seeded Sleepy Eye on Tuesday in the Section 2A Tournament first round.

The Falcons faced troubles in getting their offense going, and were shutout through the first six innings while Sleepy Eye continued to chip away, scoring in every inning but the second.

Carlie Ross attempted to get some RRC/WWG offensive momentum going in the team’s final at-bat in the top of the seventh, and hit an RBI single on a line drive to center field to run in Leah Carter. Carter initially reached base with a double line drive to left field.

But, a pair of Sleepy Eye strikeouts and an infield play put an end to the game.

DeAnn Roiger led the Falcons, going 2 for 3 at the plate.

Ross also wrapped up her junior-year campaign in the pitching circle as the Falcons’ primary pitcher. She pitched the entire game, tossing four strikeouts while allowing two walks.

Sleepy Eye finished with nine hits and no errors to RRC/WWG’s five hits and one error.

RRC/WWG finishes its 2026 season 4-17 overall, which was also the team’s finishing record last season.

The Falcons graduate senior duo Roiger and Mikayla Weis.

BOX SCORE

BATTING

N. Wahl: 1-3; L. Carter: 1-3 (2B), R, SO; D. Roiger: 2-3; C. Ross: 1-3, RBI, 2 SO; A. Hansen: 0-1, BB, SO.

PITCHING

C. Ross: L, 6 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO.

No. 2S BOLD 10, No. 7S TMB 0 (5 inn.)

OLIVIA — The Tracy-Milroy-Balaton softball team wasn’t able to get its bats active in the first round of the Section 3A tournament on Tuesday. Taking on No. 2S BOLD, the seventh-seeded Tigers were limited to two hits while committing five errors in a 10-0 mercy-rule loss.

Melaina Ankrum and Lexi Brey each singled in the game to account for TMB’s only hits. Melaina Ankrum also drew a walk, making her the lone Panther to reach base twice.

The Panthers surrendered five first-inning runs and another two in the second to face an early deficit. BOLD added three more fourth-inning runs and retired the side in order in the fifth to end the game.

Gretchen Lanoue took the loss on the mound, pitching all four innings for the Panthers. Of the 10 runs she allowed, only one was earned. Lanoue gave up eight hits and three walks in the loss.

TMB finishes its season at 11-10, showing some progress from last year’s 7-10 finish, and it graduates Aliyah Loftness, Avery Torgeson, Piper Freeburg, Rosa Vang and Cheyenne Hoffman.

BOX SCORE

BATTING

M. Ankrum: 1-1, BB; A. Dolan: 0-2, SB; L. Brey: 1-2.

PITCHING

G. Lanoue: L, 4 IP, 8 H, 10 R, ER, 3 BB.

No. 2N LQPV 13, No. 7N Dawson-Boyd 3 (5 inn.)

MADISON — A third-inning offensive burst wasn’t enough for the third-seeded Dawson-Boyd softball team to stage an upset Tuesday night. The Blackjacks fell into an early-hole against No. 2N Lac qui Parle Valley and never climbed out, losing 13-3 in six innings.

The Blackjacks trailed 8-0 heading into the top of the third when it got the bats going for its lone runs of the day. Stella Roth led off the frame with a walk, and Macy Moen and Shay Bothun reached on errors to load the bases. LQPV put one away with a strikeout, but Ragan Viessman reached on an error to score two runs, and after Kadyn Perkins walked, a passed ball sent Bothun home to cut the deficit to 8-3.

Dawson-Boyd wasn’t able to build on its offensive success from there, getting shut out for the remainder of the game and giving up four fourth-inning runs. LQPV closed out the game with a leadoff double followed by an RBI single to trigger the mercy rule in the sixth.

Ava Bothun led the Blackjack offense with a pair of hits and a stolen base in the game, and Viessman finished with a team-leading two RBIs. Ragan Viessman also reached base twice with a hit and a walk.

Shay Bothun was charged with the loss on the mound, surrendering 12 earned runs on 13 hits and a walk over five innings. She struck out four batters.

Dawson-Boyd closes its season with a 2-18 record and graduates one senior, Moen.

BATTING

M. Moen: 1-3, R, SO; S. Bothun: 1-3, R, SB; Ra. Viessman: 0-3, 2 RBI, SO; K. Perkins: 1-2, BB; A. Bothun: 2-3, SB; Ry. Viessman: 1-2, BB, SB, SO; L. Lee: 0-2, BB; S. Roth: 1-2, BB, SB.

PITCHING

S. Bothun: L, 5 IP, 13 H, 13 R, 12 ER, BB, 4 SO.