The Superior High School softball team topped Totino-Grace 7-1 and Belle Plaine 4-3 to advance to the final of the Becker Tournament Saturday, but the championship game against the host Bulldogs was rained out.
Alison Wainionpaa earned a complete game victory over Totino-Grace, allowing six hits, walking four and striking out eight. Rachal Fregin and Emily Hansen each drove in two runs; Jessica Lindstrom had a double and triple, stole a base and scored two runs; Tailor Schuster doubled; and Taylor Thompson and Kaitlyn Mergen each singled and knocked in run.
Superior struck right away in the first inning as Lindstrom double and scored on an error.
In the third inning, Fregin singled, stole second and scored on Thompson's single.
Fregin walked, Lindstrom reached on an error, stole second and both scored on Hansen's single in the fifth.
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Schuster's double came in the sixth inning. After moving to third on a ground out, she, along with Kari Miller, scored on Fregin's two-run single.
In the seventh, Courtney Oak walked with the bases loaded, scoring Katie Heinen, who was running for Thompson, who reached on an error.
Totino scored its run in the third inning on a one-out error, sac bunt and a single.
Shannon Johnstad picked up the win, in relief of Thompson, against Belle Plaine, pitching three innings, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts and two walks. Thompson allowed three runs on six hits with two strikeouts in the first four innings.
Kelsey Stender took the loss for Belle Plaine, allowing six hits with 12 strikeouts.
Hansen and Taylor Thompson each drove in two runs for Superior. Taylor Nelson also doubled and Schuster and Miller singled.
Superior took a 3-0 lead in the third inning with Nelson, who doubled, and Miller, who singled, scored on Hansen's two-run double. Ari Jago, who reached on an error, also scored on Thompson's sac fly.
Belle Plaine tied it up in the fourth inning when a one-out single was followed by a double, triple and single.
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Superior's winning run came in the fifth inning when Lindstrom reached on a two-out error, moved to second on Hansen's single and scored on Thompson's single.
Spartans 18, 'Jacks 13
Superior returned to action Tuesday evening with an 18-13 eight-inning win at Cloquet.
The wins improve the Spartans to 5-4 overall and 2-1 in the Lake Superior Conference.
Superior had 21 hits against Cloquet. Taylor Johnson led the Spartans by going 4-for-5 with an RBI, while Emily Hansen, Kari Miller and Taylor Nelson all collected three hits for Superior. Hansen also had four RBIs and Nelson had three.
Alison Wainionpaa gave up seven hits in 6 1/3 innings while walking eight and striking out five. Taylor Thompson finished the game, allowing two hits with a strikeout and walk in 1 2/3 innings.
Chandler Beaupre suffered the complete-game loss for Cloquet.
In Superior's second inning, Mergen, Johnson, Schuster singled, Nelson reached on a fielder's choice, Fregin hit an RBI single with one out, Lindstrom walked, Hansen hit a two run single, stole second and third and scored on Thompson's sac fly.
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In the fourth, Hansen singled and scored on Thompson's single. Thompson then came around on Johnson's single.
Superior plated two more run in the fifth when Nelson and Lindstrom singled and scored on Hansen's triple.
Cloquet scored six runs in the fifth on three walks, a double, fielder's choice and two errors.
In the top of the eighth inning, Schuster reached on an error and scored on Nelson's double. After Miller singled, Nelson scored on an error. Hansen then reached on an error allowing Miller and Fregin to score. Hansen scored the final run on yet another error.
The SHS JV team lost to Cloquet 10-9.
The Spartans host Duluth Marshall at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Superior 7, Totino-Grace 1
Superior 101 022 1 -- 7 8 1
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T-G 001 000 0 -- 1 6 3
Superior 4, Belle Plaine 3
Belle Plaine 000 300 0 -- 3 7 2
Superior 003 010 x -- 4 6 1
Tuesday's Game
Superior 18, Cloquet 13, 8 innings
Superior 070 222 05 -- 18 21 6
Cloquet 001 061 50 -- 13 9 3
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WP: Taylor Thompson. S (5-5): scored 5 runs in top of 8th; Emily Hansen 3H (3B), 5R; Kaitlyn Mergen 2H; Taylor Johnson 4H; Tailor Schuster 3H, 5R. C (7-5): overcame 11-1 deficit to tie game at 13 with 6 runs in 5th and 5 in 7th; Kayla Masessa 3H, 4R; Shania Paulson 2H (2 2B), 2R; Jade Benko 2H, 2RBIs.
