Cardinals win big, lose close at MCW tourney (softball wrap-up)

WELCOME -- With a victory in its first game, the Luverne Cardinals fell just short of defeating Martin County West at the MCW softball tournament Saturday.

The Cardinals (3-3) defeated ML/B-O, 16-4, before falling to MCW, 1-0.

Luverne 16, ML/B-O 4

Kelsey Theesfeld allowed a single earned run over six innings to lead Luverne past the Wolverines in the first game of the MCW tournament.

Theesfeld walked four and struck out one, and Mikki Fitzer threw one inning of relief, striking out three.

Kat Dahl drove in seven, including a grand slam and a double to lead the Cardinals.

Fitzer had a hit, while Courtney Fodness had a hit and scored five times.

Christy VanDyke scored three times and drove in two, while Theesfeld scored three times and had two RBI.

Macy Svalland was two-for-three for the Wolverines.

R H E

Luverne 120 345 0 -- 16 8 1

ML/B-O 000 200 2 -- 4 7 1

MCW 1, Luverne 0

After scoring 16 runs in the first game, the Cardinals managed just two hits in the nightcap against the Mavericks.

Dahl was two-for-three with a double, but that was all the offense the Cardinals could muster.

Theesfeld allowed one run on five hits while walking four and striking out one.

Jackie Roberts earned the victory over MCW, allowing two hits while striking out three and walking none.

Sabrina Steen had a pair of hits for MCW, which scored on a bases-loaded walk in the second inning.

Luverne will host Pipestone Area Tuesday before facing Adrian Area Thursday.

R H E

Luverne 000 000 0 -- 0 2 0

MCW 010 000 X -- 1 5 0

MCW 22, SWU 0

MCW opened the game with a 13-run first inning in which the Mavericks had 12 hits and hit back-to-back home runs to propel them to a victory over the Wildcats (0-7).

Kasey McNab had a double, while Kristine Kazemba and Elly Schmitz each had a hit for Southwestern United.

R H E

SWU 000 00 -- 0 3 4

MCW (13)11 7X-- 22 21 1

ML/B-O 14, SWU 7

Leading 7-0 after two innings, the Wildcats were unable to hold a lead in a loss to the Wolverines Saturday.

Courtney Anderson had a two-RBI double to knot the game at 7-all, and ML/B-O never looked back in the victory.

McNab suffered the loss for SWU in a complete-game effort.

Sarah Schmitz and Elly Schmitz each had a pair of hits, while April Wallace, Kazemba, Anna Obermoller and Ceilia Schmitz all had a hit in the game.

Kelly Hempeck led the Wolverines with three hits in the game.

SWU will travel to Windom today in a non-conference game.

R H E

ML/B-O 005 005 4 -- 14 14 2

SWU 520 000 0 -- 7 8 8