Dykhoff powers W-DC's 15-2 romp

WADENA -- Kari Dykhoff started the 2000 season the same way she left off 1999.

Dykhoff hit a solo home run in the first at bat of the season for the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines Thursday as they shelled the Pine River-Backus Tigers 15-2 in a non-conference softball game.

Dykhoff, who hit .447 with two homers last year, finished with two RBI and also recorded 10 strikeouts and only three walks on the mound as she earned the win.

Niki Helmrichs also drove in three runs for the Wolverines.

Pine River-Backus 010 10 -- 2 3 3

Wadena-Deer Creek 192 3x -- 15 8 2

PRB -- Jamie Wolkenhauer and Christy Sanba; WDC -- Kari Dykhoff and Missy Schwartz. WP -- Dykhoff. LP -- Wolkenhauer. HR -- WDC, Dykhoff. Overall -- WDC 1-0, PRB 0-1. Next game -- Wadena-Deer Creek at Crosby-Ironton, 4 p.m. Tuesday. Pine River-Backus at Pequot Lakes 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Rockford 11, Pierz 0

ROCKFORD --The Rockford Rockets blanked the Pierz Pioneers 11-0 in a Central Minnesota Conference game Thursday.

The Pioneers were held to just one hit in the contest, a single by sophomore infielder Sheena Loidolt.

Pierz 000 00 -- 0 1 2

Rockford 322 4x -- 11 7 3

Pierz -- Lynn Hanneken, Kayla Happke (4) and Stacy Block. Rockford -- Moser and Pepin. WP -- Moser. LP -- Hanneken. Conference -- Pierz 0-2. Overall -- Pierz 0-3. Next game -- Pierz Tourney, TBA Saturday.

Aitkin 9, Isle 0

ISLE -- The Aitkin Gobblers picked up their first win of the season Thursday with a 9-0 victory over the Isle Indians in Great River Conference action.

Maddie Otto went 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored for the Gobblers, while Chelsie Pratt went 2-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, Marissa Chatelle was 2-4 with two runs scored and Abbey Olson was 2-3 with one RBI.

Jennifer Straughn went the first six innings on the mound for Aitkin allowing only one hit with 11 strikeouts and two walks.

Aitkin 004 203 0 -- 9 11 1

Isle 000 000 0 -- 0 1 2

Aitkin -- Jennifer Straughn, Abbey Olson (7) and Chelsie Pratt. Isle -- S. Ramer, M. Miller (6) and Tramm. WP -- Straughn . LP --Ramer. Conference -- Aitkin 1-0. Overall -- Aitkin 1-2. Next game -- Aitkin at Ogilvie, 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Park Rapids 9, Pequot Lakes 7

PARK RAPIDS -- The Park Rapids Panthers edged the Pequot Lakes Patriots 9-7 Thursday in a non-conference game.

Kara Foss went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in the fourth inning and scored two runs. Heather Neznik went 1-3 with a two-run homer in the sixth inning and Amanda Monnier was 1-2 with a run-scoring triple in the sixth inning for the Patriots.

Molly Landecker pitched a complete game giving up three earned runs with four strikeouts and four walks.

Pequot Lakes 000 205 0 -- 7 4 11

Park Rapids 213 003 x -- 9 8 2

Pequot Lakes -- Molly Landecker and Amanda Monnier. Park Rapids -- Gustad and Dent. WP -- Gustad. LP -- Landecker. HR -- Heather Neznik, Kara Foss. Overall -- PL 0-1. Next game -- Pine River-Backus at Pequot Lakes, 4 p.m. Tuesday.

New York Mills 19, Verndale 1

VERNDALE -- The Verndale Pirates were handed a 19-1 loss Thursday by the New York Mills Eagles in five innings via the ten-run rule.

The Pirates were handcuffed at the plate as they had just three hits and were struck out nine times.

Verndale held the Eagles to eight hits but committed eight errors in the field.

New York Mills (12)03 22 -- 19 8 0

Verndale 000 01 -- 1 3 8

New York Mills -- Tracy Mattson, Jessica Weller (4), Kayla Kahlainen (5), and Kayla Kahlainen, Kristine Witt (5); Home -- Shantel Beaver, Cherice Fuller (5), and Marie Kern. WP -- Mattson. LP -- Beaver. Overall -- V 0-2. Next game -- Verndale at Bertha-Hewitt, 4 p.m. today.

St. Cloud Tech 6, Little Falls 5

ST. CLOUD -- The St. Cloud Tech Tigers defeated the Little Falls Flyers 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning to record a Central Lakes Conference victory.

The game was tied 5-5 going into the bottom of the seventh when the Tigers hit a single, advanced on a wild pitch and stole a base to put the winning run on third. A hot line drive over the shortstop drove in the winning run for the Tigers.

"We started out slow," said Flyers coach Ron Hinnenkamp. "We got aggressive at the plate in the last two innings to make the game close."

Little Falls 001 002 2 -- 5 6 4

St. Cloud Tech 202 010 1 -- 6 11 2

St. Cloud Tech -- Ann Hennek and Emily Albers; Little Falls -- Nicole Ashby and Melissa Gustafson, Melissa Feiler (5). WP --Hennek. LP -- Ashby. Conference -- LF 0-1. Overall -- LF 0-1. Next game -- Little Falls at the Pierz Tournament, TBA Saturday.