The MACA softball Tigers climbed to 9-0 with doubleheader success on Tuesday. They played Sauk Centre at Wells Park. A big inning did the job in game 1. The Tigers plated four runs in the fifth to down the Streeters 5-2.
Shannon Dougherty smacked two hits in three at-bats and drove in a run. Brienna Dybdahl had an RBI and also handled the pitching work. She pitched the whole way, setting down nine Streeters on strikes. Cortney Lehman chalked up an RBI.
Sauk Centre's Lanna Wolters went four-for-four including two doubles. Jaden Struss hit safely. Their pitching was done by Maddie Nelson who struck out five.
The story of game 2 was unstoppable MACA bats. The onslaught was led by Brianna Marty who hit safely in all five of her at-bats. She scored three of the Tigers' runs in this 12-3 triumph. She also drove in one. Emma Bowman's bat was authoritative again. This time she had a three-for-five line including a triple. She drove in two runs and scored one. Others with multiple hits were Dybdahl, Makenna Hufford, Hannah Fischer and Sydney Dietz.
Dybdahl got the pitching victory and fanned four batters. Yasmine Westerman also pitched.
Brenna Bick went two-for-three for the opponent. Maggie Warring was their pitcher and it seemed like she pitched batting practice: 14 hits allowed, all 12 runs earned.
Champs of Morris Invite
We're definitely into the heart of the softball/baseball schedule, and games can be played fast and furious. It's fun if demanding.
The players are doing the real work and yet yours truly as a scribe can feel overwhelmed! I'm 15 years older than when I last wrote for the Morris newspaper. The times got difficult for me toward the end there. The company that owned the paper then has since left town. Strange series of events. The paper seems quite stable now. Wonder why the Forum couldn't cut it.
Saturday saw our Tigers play three games in their home invite. It was a 3-0 day for coach Mary Holmberg's team. They reached the top with a dramatic 4-3 win over the Valley City Hi-Liners. (I love the distinctive school nicknames.)
Eight innings were required. Victory came walk-off style. I don't recall hearing the "walk-off" term in my youth. Katelyn Wehking socked a double in the eighth inning to finish the Tigers' business. Emma Bowman crossed home plate and the Tigers with fans could celebrate. The game was played at Wells Park. That venue seems quite agreeable for everyone.
Hailey Schaefer pitched for Valley City and was effective. She held the Tigers scoreless through five innings. MACA bats got to her in the sixth for four hits that resulted in three runs. This gave us a 3-2 lead. Those Hi-Liners fought to get the score tied in the seventh. So we needed one last burst in the eighth to emerge with the win and the Invite title.
Wehking's game-inning double was among three total hits by her. She drove in two runs. Bowman doubled as part of a 2/4 showing. She crossed home plate twice. Hannah Fischer went two-for-three with an RBI. LaRae Kram added to the mix with an RBI. Dybdahl pitched the distance and fanned six batters.
Two other Saturday wins
The Tigers beat Paynesville 6-1 as part of Saturday's action. The score was tied 1-1 when Wehking drove in a run on a ground ball. We assumed command after that.
It was Brienna Dybdahl doing the work in the pitching circle. (Years ago I'd write "pitching rubber" just out of habit from baseball!) Dybdahl set down six Paynesville Bulldogs on strikes.
The boxscore showed LaRae Kram and Brianna Marty each coming through with two hits. Each scored twice, and Kram had two RBIs. Other RBIs were picked up by Emma Bowman and Hannah Fischer.
The Tigers had one blow-out win on the day. It was achieved with a 21-5 score over Wheaton-Herman-Norcross. We saw a parade of batters as the runs accumulated. Brianna Marty was "in the zone" with her bat as she produced four-for-five numbers. She scored three and drove in three.
Yasmine Westerman was a factor with the bat and she also showcased her pitching arm. With the bat she went three-for-four. She scored two runs. She got the pitching victory. Katelyn Wehking drove in three runs. Tigers with two RBIs were Kram, Sophia Carlsen, Leah Staples and Camryn Ostby.
The new softball complex
The news media in small communities tend to get mesmerized by positive talk about new projects. The spokespeople for such endeavors insist on this. A media person who simply chooses to ask a tough or frank question can feel on the defensive.
My daily walking route goes past the softball facility and I wonder repeatedly how fans are going to be accommodated at the main new field. I noticed yesterday that cement has been put down in the area between home plate and the concession window. Even if some bleachers were to be squeezed in there, it seems inadequate for space.
Should we assume some fan seating in the area behind home plate? Look how Chizek field for baseball is laid out: an ample section of bleachers. I would have assumed that this ambitious new softball facility would at least have that. Are we supposed to assume that softball does not draw as many fans as baseball? I feel that would be a mistake.
Some space will have to be allowed for people to walk back and forth in front of the concession stand. Simply having a concession stand means you're anticipating a fair number of fans. I just don't see where they will position themselves. The dugouts are large and would be a serious obstruction to fan viewing from the sides. Looking through the fence from an angle is difficult. Bleachers out by the outfield fence? I notice the ground slopes down going away from the fence, so this would seem to be no-go at present.
There are no sidewalks and look out for mud. It's not handicapped accessible, is it? Is there a special parking area? Shouldn't the local commercial news media be asking some questions like this? If the answers address all concerns, wonderful. The promoters should be eager to share this info. But maybe they don't want us to ask. Mary Holmberg did not answer an email I sent her.
A friend mentioned to me that the current Morris paper has a puffy piece on the whole thing. He cited the "big half-page/front page article on the new Mary Holmberg/softball complex." I went to the public library last night. For a long time you couldn't see the Morris paper there - virus phobia - but now you can. The spread was what I expected.
So an "anonymous donor" arranged for the field to be named for Holmberg. I wonder how big that donation was. It's called a "complex" but that would seem hyperbole now. Outside of the main Holmberg field, nothing else there seems substantial or impressive.
The UMM field already existed. Cougar fans seem quite happy attending games there. They may not like it if the viewing opportunities are more limited at the new field. Some Cougar fans have been parking just outside of the outfield fence. They drive down a little slope on a rough path that has been established by construction vehicles. Not sure if this route was intended for the general public.
I'm still not sure why the City of Morris had to pitch in with $150,000 for this. The city was requested to make a second contribution and this time said "no." Might the city be getting a little disillusioned?
Honestly, I was expecting this whole "complex" to have a "wow" factor by now.
As I walk by each day, I can only shake my head. The news media should not hesitate trying to get all the promotional happy talk underscored by facts/reality. Really, the public appreciates this. Substantial public money is invested. And if everything turns out peachy-keen, no harm will have been done. The project will speak for itself!
Addendum: A friend has emailed me whose spouse had the opportunity to inquire face-to-face with Holmberg about the fan seating at the new field. "Mary Holmberg told (name withheld) that spectator seating is in the works for the (new) softball fields," my friend wrote. "Be interesting to see where they're put up. We've driven by and I don't see much room!"
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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