Faribault 2018 State Champs Honored at Home

The 2018 State Champion Faribault Falcons fastpitch softball team held their five-year reunion today at Alexander Park. The Cannon Falls Bombers edged this year's Falcons 7-4.

During the introductions before the game the young Faribault team was accompanied by members of the 2018 team. McKayla Armbruster, Abby Van Ryn, Cassie Swanson, Ali Schak, Bre Bresnahan, Camryn Salmonsen, Lauren O'Neil, a few of the starters back from that memorable team.

Several of them joined the KDHL broadcast to go down memory lane and catch us up on what they are doing five years after their title.

For example, Schak is currently a Faribault Police Officer. O'Neil wants to be a Conservation Officer. Swanson is seeking a medical school. Armbruster has graduated but will use her final year of athletic eligibility to play softball at Minnesota State Mankato where she led the Division II NSIC Conference this season in many pitching categories including wins and strikeouts.

A plaque on the concession stand building was unveiled honoring the 2018 State Softball Championship that you could assume will be there forever.

Cannon Falls scored a run in the top of the first inning. With one out Avery Rustad, sophomore, clobbered a double to left center. Izzy Pagel, senior and classmate Rachel Miller connected for back-to-back singles. Rustad scored on the Pagel hit.

Falcons starting pitcher Rylee Sietsema, junior, got a strikeout and fly out to hold the score at 1-0.

In the bottom of the inning, it appeared the magic of high fiving former state champions during the introductions rubbed off.

The Falcons stroked two singles and a double to start their half of the inning. Reagan Dregenberg. junior, laced a 1-1 count pitch for a single.

Amanda Cullen, freshman, got a first pitch single. Rylee Sietsema lifted a 0-1 pitch over the outfielders to knock in two runs.

Cannon Falls starting pitcher Ally Pagel, senior, was able to get a ground out and two strikeouts to keep the Faribault lead 2-1.

In the top of the second inning Bombers catcher Falon Hepola, freshman, achieved a two-strike single to open the inning. She was retired on a force out at second on a Chloe Lingelbach, senior, grounder.

#9 hitter Carly Tipton, senior, walked before Ally Pagel smacked a two run double to put Cannon Falls ahead for good.

The Bombers sent seven batters to the plate in the third inning to punch the lead to 6-2.

Kylee Schoenfelder, senior, libero on the Cannon Falls State Champions volleyball team, opened the inning with a single. Madysen King, senior, ripped an 0-2 count RBI double.

King advanced to third base on a ground out to the pitcher. Lingelbach connected on a 2-2 count RBI double. Tipton also had 1-2 count RBI single.

The Falcons got a run back 8n the bottom of the third inning when Sietsema got a one out single. Olivia Smith, junior, brought her home on a two out RBI single.

Aly Cook, 8th grade, went into the pitcher's circle in the 4th inning to pitch scoreless 4th, 5th and 6th innings keeping her team in the game.

Pagel pitch around an inning opening error in the 4th. Retired the Falcons in order in the 5th inning,

In the bottom of the 6th Smith opened with a base hit to right field. Following a strikeout Jaimie Adamek, sophomore, hit a single. With two outs #9 hitter Cook got a two-strike single to score Smith.

Runners were stranded at second and third base when the threat ended with a strikeout looking.

Top of the 7th inning Cannon Falls opened with a single on the infield when the ball took a last instant hop on Adamek at shortstop allowing Schoenfelder to get on base.

Cook got back-to-back outs before Lingelbach hit an RBI single. Tipton followed with a single to place runners at the corners before a ground out ended the inning.

Faribault started the bottom of the 7th with a weak grounder to first base on the first pitch of the at bat.

Sietsema walked, Amira Williams, 8th grade, was hit by a pitch bringing the tying run to the plate.

Smith hit a sky ball on the infield for the second out. Emma Minnick connected on the 7th pitch of her at bat for a single to load the bases.

Adamek struck out looking to end the game. The pitch did appear to me to be a ball, but you still need to protect the plate in that situation. Another learning moment for a Faribault team that has no seniors.

Sietsema faced 18 batters in three innings with 1 strikeout, 2 walks, 9 hits allowed. 79 pitches, 49 strikes.

Cook threw 4 innings, 17 batters faced, 2 strikeouts, 0 walks, 5 hits allowed. 63 pitches, 41 strikes.

Pagel finished the game with 120 pitches thrown, 82 strikes, with 7 strikeouts, 1 walk, 9 hits allowed in my scorebook.

The Malecha's Auto Body Faribault, Crunch Time Faribault players of the game were Olivia Smith and Aly Cook. Smith was 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and run scored. Cook delivered an RBI and also held the Bombers in check over the last four innings.

Rylee Sietsema was the Cash Wise Foods and Pharmacy of Owatonna Delivery of the game recipient for delivering the lead in the bottom of the first inning with her 2 RBI double. She also scored in the third inning and walked in the seventh.

The Cash Wise Foods and Pharmacy Delivery of the Game for Cannon Falls was awarded to pitcher Ally Pagel not only for her pitching, but she also clubbed a 2 RBI double in the second inning.

Chloe Lingelbach and Carly Tipton, the #8 and #9 batters in the Bombers order were on base 6 of the 8 teams they went to the plate with a combined 3 runs scored and 3 RBI.

In other area softball Monday: