S-M, Little Falls advance in softball

STAPLES -- The Staples-Motley Cardinals softball team defeated Pequot Lakes 4-0 Thursday to advance to the second round of the Section 8AA tournament.

The Cardinals were led by winning pitcher Michelle Honek, who allowed only two walks and three hits in a complete game.

Pequot Lakes 000 000 0 -- 0 3 1

Staples-Motley 003 100 0 -- 4 5 0

Pequot Lakes -- Emma Hoglund and Amanda Monnier; Staples --Michelle Honek and Emily Waldahl. WP -- Honek. LP -- Hoglund. Overall -- SM 11-6. Next game -- SM in Section 8AA second round at Park Rapids Tuesday.

Little Falls 2, Sartell 1

SARTELL -- Sammi Parker was the hero for the Little Falls Flyers, going 2-for-3 and hitting a triple to start the sixth inning, and Jenny LeBlanc drove her home on a ground ball to nip the Sartell Sabres 2-1 in South Subsection 8, Class 3A softball Thursday.

Jess Waltman was 2-for-3 for the Flyers with a run scored. Winning pitcher Shanna Bach threw another gem, pitching a complete game and allowing only five hits and retiring 13 of the last 14 batters.

Little Falls 010 001 0--2 5 1

Sartell 010 000 0--1 5 1

Little Falls -- Shanna Bach and Sammi Parker; Sartell -- Jessica Boerger and Angie Meyer. WP -- Bach. LP -- Boerger. Next game -- LF vs. Rocori at Cold Spring 11 a.m. Saturday.

Frazee 6,

Wadena-Deer Creek 2

FRAZEE -- The second-seeded Frazee Hornets upended the third-seeded Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines 6-2 in Subsection 3, Section 8AA softball Thursday.

Mikaela Schmitt, Lisa Erickson and Tahna Beckmann each had one hit for the Wolverines. Erickson and Caitlin Peterson each had one RBI for W-DC.

Wadena-Deer Creek 100 001 0 -- 2 3 4

Frazee 320 001 x -- 6 6 2

W-DC -- Jenny Steinkopf and Lisa Erickson. Frazee-- Jaclyn King and Alicia Oswald. WP --King . LP --Steinkopf. Overall --W-DC finishes 7-13.

Menahga 11, Verndale 1

MENAHGA -- Beth Rogge scored the first run of the game for Verndale but the Pirates needed a few more as the Menahga Braves advanced to the championship round of the North Subsection 6A softball tournament with an 11-1 win Thursday.

Steph Tomte had the only hit for Verndale, which finished 8-12.

Verndale 100 00 -- 1 1 3

Menahga 222 32 -- 11 11 2

Verndale -- Steph Tomte and Crystal Schoon; Menahga -- Darcy Maninga and Ashlee Hillier. WP -- Maninga. LP -- Tomte. Overall -- Verndale finishes 8-12.

Park Rapids 13,

Pine River-Backus 3

PARK RAPIDS -- Despite a strong start the Pine River-Backus Tigers girls softball team ended its season Thursday with a 17-4 loss to the Park Rapids Panthers in the Subsection 4, Section 8AA tournament.

Anna Wetrusky led off with a triple for the Tigers and was followed by Leah Wangberg and Sarah Laposky, both of whom singled. Catcher Brooke Rollins had PR-B's last hit of the game, a triple that drove in two runs.

Pine River-Backus 300 000 -- 3 4 4

Park Rapids 202 513 -- 13 10 1

Pine River-Backus -- Stephanie Robinson and Brooke Rollins; Park Rapids -- Nikki Breitbach and Kasey Criswell. WP -- Breitbach. LP -- Robinson. Overall -- Park Rapids 17-4.