Faribault Softball Has Walk-Off Extra Inning Win over Mankato East

Two of the best teams in the state in Class 3A went toe to toe at North Alexander Park in Faribault today with the Falcons winning in the bottom of the eighth inning.  Junior catcher Abby Van Ryn cracked a single with Bre Bresnahan scoring from second base on a perfect slide at home.  In all honesty I thought she was going to be thrown out but Bresnahan slid to the back of the plate and Faribault defeated Mankato East 2-1.

Van Ryn had both run producing hits in the game and Bresnahan scored both of the Falcon runs.  Faribault scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the 4th inning when Bresnahan led the inning off with a double.  Cassie Swanson hit a fly ball to the outfield that Bresnahan advanced to third base on and Van Ryn hit a single to give the Falcons the lead.

The Cougars tied the game in the sixth inning after senior shortstop Lily Andrego led the inning off with a deep fly ball that left fielder Camryn Salmonsen looked like she had measured but as she was fielding the ball ranging to her left it hit her cheek at the same time it hit the glove and she was unable to secure it.  Designated player freshman Tayler Swalve bunted Andrego to third base and she eventually scored.

Junior McKayla Armbruster allowed just two hits and struck out 18, walked nobody and hit a batter while going the distance for the win.  Only one Cougar did not struck out at least once against Armbruster, sophomore second baseman Ana Christofferson .

Mankato East has a young team with just one senior and their pitchers are an eighth grader and a freshman but they seem to simply reload each season.

Faribault had 8 hits in the game led by Bresnahan and Van Ryn with three hits each.  Junior Lauren O'Neil and Armbruster also had singles.

Faribault travels to Rochester Mayo Monday for a makeup game with the Spartans then goes to Red Wing Tuesday.