Raiders finish as state runners-up
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
It wasn't quite the result the Central Lakes College Raiders wanted but their season is far from being finished.
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CLC lost twice to Rainy River on Sunday in the Minnesota Community College Conference state fast-pitch softball tournament at Memorial Park but gets another shot at the Voyageurs in the best-of-three Region 13B tournament Friday. The winner advances to the national tournament May 17-19 at Rochester.
"You don't come out here to lose," Raiders coach Bob Sullivan said. "You always come out here to be No. 1 but I'm very proud of the girls. Through all the injuries and adversity this team has been through this year they've done exceptionally well. A lot of teams aren't here."
Raiders runners-up
The key: Central Lakes College lost twice to Rainy River to finish second in the state tournament
Overall: CLC 26-11
Next: CLC vs. Rainy River in Region 13B tournament Friday at Grand Rapids, TBA
Raiders on all-tournament team
Three Central Lakes College Raiders were named to the all-tournament team following the Minnesota Community College Conference state softball tournament Sunday at Memorial Park in Brainerd.
Second baseman Megan Anderson, catcher-infielder Lindsey Jourdan and first baseman Alison LeBlanc were honored.
In five games, Anderson was 11-for-18 with three doubles, eight RBIs, two doubles, a triple and two home runs.
Others selected were Minnesota West's Ashley DeBates and Courtney Hammerschmidt; Chelsea Geisler of Itasca; Britney Glisczinski and Laura Suter of Ridgewater; and Gina LeBlanc, Kristen Harscha, Kelly Suerth and Kim Rieu of Rainy River.
CLC suffered two other setbacks Sunday.
First baseman Alison LeBlanc, playing with a broken thumb, sprained an ankle in Sunday's first game against Rainy River and didn't play the rest of the day.
Second baseman Megan Anderson injured a knee sliding into the plate in the seventh inning of the championship game but will probably be available for the region.
Central Lakes College pitcher Malerie Riewer delivered against Rainy River in the semifinals of the Minnesota Community College Conference state tournament Sunday at Memorial Park in Brainerd. Rainy River beat the Raiders twice to win the title. Brainerd Dispatch/Nels Norquist » Purchase reprints of this photo.
"We have to get Alison an X-ray on her ankle," Sullivan said. "She's already playing with a broken thumb. She will have surgery May 24 for that. It's one of those deals where it's not going to get any worse, but it's not going to get any better unless she fixes it, but that's part of playing. You have those things and you've just got to keep moving forward, no matter what happens.
"Megan just came in so hard, she kind of tried to do a slide and the weight of her body hit the knee. It's pretty hard ground out here, too, but I think she will be OK. She will come back strong. She's pretty resilient, they all are. They've played through a lot of bruises and bumps."
Sunday's games
Championship
Rainy River 6, CLC 4
The Voyageurs built a 6-1 lead through five innings but were forced to hang on as CLC stormed back, scoring three unearned runs with two out following three Rainy River errors.
Megan Anderson
RBI singles by Megan Anderson, Brittany Thorson and Izzy Anderson pulled CLC within the final score before Jessica Michels popped up to end the game.
"At least the girls know, going into regions, they can hit again," Sullivan said, "so hopefully it will be a better start for us up there."
Megan Anderson and Kjelsy Loeffler both finished 2-for-4. Ali Mathison walked one and gave up seven hits and just one earned run.
Central Lakes 4 10 3
Rainy River 6 7 4
WP-Kim Rieu. LP-Ali Mathison. 2B-Kristin Harschen (RR), Kim Rieu, Kjelsy Loeffler (CLC). 3B-Megan Anderson (CLC).
Lindsey Jourdan
Losers' bracket
CLC 8, Ridgewater 5
Megan Anderson went 4-for-4 with two doubles, Lindsey Jourdan was 3-for-4 and Mathison, Michels and Kelly Medek each had two hits. Both of Medek's hits were doubles.
Winning pitcher Malerie Riewer struck out two, walked one and gave up eight hits and three earned runs.
Ridgewater 5 8 3
Central Lakes 8 16 1
WP-Malerie Riewer. LP-Angie Flaten. 2B-Kristen Hegna (R), Dorothy Saulsbury (R), Ashley Spanier (R), Megan Anderson 2, Brittany Thorson (CLC), Kelly Medek (CLC) 2. 3B-Laura Suter (R).
Alison LeBlanc
Semifinals
Rainy River 8, CLC 0
Kristin Harscha hit a long three-run homer in the first and Voyageurs pitcher Kim Rieu allowed only an infield hit as the Raiders suffered their first tournament loss.
Harscha was 3-for-3 with five RBIs. She also had two run-scoring singles.
Rieu struck out six and didn't walk a batter. She retired the first 10 Raiders before Jourdan reached on a throwing error.
The only CLC hit was an infield grounder to second by Loeffler in the fifth.
"She's very good, very strong," Sullivan said of Rieu. "She's a sophomore. She hits the ball well too. She's a real solid leader over there. You can't take anything away from her. She just does a nice job."
Riewer took the loss, striking out one, walking four and throwing four wild pitches.
Rainy River 8 11 1
Central Lakes 0 1 1
WP-Kim Rieu. LP-Malerie Riewer. HR-Kristen Harscha (RR).
Second round
CLC 11, Rochester 5
Megan Anderson was 4-for-4, hit two home runs and had four RBIs as the Raiders cruised into the semifinals.
Izzy Anderson of Central Lakes College attempted to bunt against Rainy River in the semifinals of the Minnesota Community College Conference state tournament Sunday at Memorial Park in Brainerd. Brainerd Dispatch/Nels Norquist» Purchase reprints of this photo.
Jourdan and Mathison each had two RBIs and Izzy Anderson and Thorson each had two hits.
Mathison got the win. She gave up nine hits and four earned runs, struck out two and walked two in a complete game.
Central Lakes 11 12 4
Rochester 5 9 3
WP-Ali Mathison. LP-Mel Schmidt. 2B-Izzy Anderson, Lindsey Jourdan. HR-Megan Anderson 2.
Saturday's game
CLC 7,
St. Cloud Technical 2
Bobbi Rogge and Izzy Anderson each had two hits and Rogge and Megan Anderson each had two RBIs.
Riewer pitched a complete game, allowing three hits and one earned run. She struck out five and yielded three hits.
St. Cloud 2 3 2
Central Lakes 7 8 2
WP-Riewer. LP-Jamie Tanner. 2B-CLC, Megan Anderson.
MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com and at 855-5861.