Zumbrota-Mazeppa and Hayfield Softball State Tournament Bound

The Zumbrota-Mazeppa Cougars still have not lost to a Minnesota school all season and they hope that trend continues in next week's state tournament in North Mankato.

Cougar head coach Kevin Nelson told KDHL/Power 96 after their 11-1 five-inning victory over the Winona Cotter Ramblers on Thursday evening that his team appeared to be locked in.

Junior first baseman Tara Matuska clubbed a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone. It was her sixth homer of the season.

After the home run, starting Winona Cotter freshman pitcher Isabel Northrop was clearly rattled. She threw eight straight balls and was pulled by head coach Pat Bowlen after back-to-back walks and a 2-0 count to the sixth person to step to the plate.

Senior Morgan Palubicki came in relief and did her job for the Ramblers.

Winona Cotter scored a run in the second after a leadoff single by their No. 5 hitter. The run was not earned, and after that Zumbrota-Mazeppa senior lefty Morgan Olson was unhittable. Olson struck out eight and walked one batter in the shortened game due to the 10-run rule.

The Cougars were held at bay the next couple innings before an incredible onslaught with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The first two Z-M batters were retired on a pitch each. Senior designated player Dacia Anding started the seven-hit onslaught by the Cougars. Olson had an RBI single and senior right fielder Bella Wagner followed with an infield single. Matuska clubbed a two-run double, senior shortstop Kellie Nordquist added a two-run double and junior center fielder Natalie Majerus had an RBI double.

Eleven batters came to the plate and six runs scored to give Zumbrota-Mazeppa a comfortable 8-1 lead.

The Cougars closed out the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when No. 9 hitter senior catcher Aubrey Reuter smacked a double with one out and her courtesy runner was brought home on a Morgan Olson RBI single.

After a ground out for the second out, Matuska had an RBI single and Nordquist clubbed an RBI single to end the game early.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa plays at 9AM Thursday against the Section 8 champion Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton.

The Cougars' only loss this season came in extra innings to Hudson, Wisconsin, and the Rebels are 21-3.

The Section 1A repeat champions are the Hayfield Vikings.

After losing the first game 20-8 they came back to win the second game 12-4 against the Wabasha-Kellogg Falcons.

The Vikings will play at 1PM Thursday against the Section 7 Champion Cherry Tigers with a record of 20-4.

Cherry started the season 2-4 and is riding a 18-game winning streak into the state tournament.

The Vikings head into the tournament with a 18-8 record and are 9-2 in their last 11 games.

The Kasson-Mantorville Komets came into this season the two-time defending State Class AA champions and were bumped up to Class AAA when Minnesota went to four classes this season.

The Komets fell to Winona in the Section 1 AAA title game 4-1 Thursday evening at Todd Park in Austin.

The Winhawks are 20-4 and will play the Becker Bulldogs in the first round of state action Thursday at 11AM.

Becker is 19-4 and has an eight-game winning streak going into the tournament.

The New Prague Trojans defeated the Farmington Tigers twice Thursday evening in Austin to become the Section 1 AAAA champions.

New Prague won the first game 4-3 to force a second contest and won that game 2-1 after losing to Farmington on Wednesday 9-3 to get into that situation.

The Trojans will open state tournament play against the Woodbury Royals, who did not lose a game in their section tournament and are 18-6. The game will be at 9AM Thursday.

In the Section 2 AAA title game, top-ranked Mankato West had a 3-2 10-inning win over Mankato East.

The Scarlets' only loss this season came against Owatonna in the second game of a doubleheader and they defeated Mankato East four times this year, with the last two games going extra innings.

Mankato West plays at 11AM Thursday against the Alexandria Cardinals, who have a 16-8 record.