Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

The tremendous comeback against Roseville was only 10 days ago, but in that span, the Forest Lake softball team has torn through three conference games as well as the Apple Valley Tournament.

The Rangers opened the tourney on Saturday, May 5 against Prior Lake, and had to deal with a hot pitcher who turned in a one-hitter. How depressing it is to be part of the Lakers squad and wind up on the losing end of that pitching gem.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, a Prior Lake throwing error got Kathy Crudo — who seems to always appear in crucial moments like this — over to second base, with the score tied at zero.

Jessica Skogen followed with a sacrifice bunt to push Crudo to third, and then Sam Holien batted in the winning run for a unique version of a one-hit wonder.

On Forest Lake’s behalf, Alyssa Dunrud threw the shutout and allowed only four hits.

“This was an exciting game and was one we needed to win,” Rangers head coach Angie Ryan noted. “Our defense and pitching was solid, we just need to get the offense going.”

In game two, it was host Apple Valley in the other dugout, and the Eagles managed to use two hits in the first inning to pick up one run.

Forest Lake didn’t tie the game until the sixth inning, when Crudo (there’s that name again) drilled the ball over the fence in center field.

Apple Valley responded with one run in the seventh and that gave them the 2-1 victory.

Amy Lalla was the starting pitcher for the Rangers, and then Cheree Franklin finished out the game from the second inning on. Crudo provided the offensive highlights by going two-for-three.

The loss would bring Anoka in the next round, but this game was suspended in the third inning due to poor weather. Forest Lake was ahead 5-3 and will resume this contest on Tuesday, May 15, at home.

SEC ACTION

Prior to the tournament, the Rangers had a difficult match-up with Park, who is battling for the conference title.

The May 3 game started well, as Forest Lake scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning. But in similar fashion to Apple Valley, the opponents answered quickly with a run in the top of the third.

The 3-1 score remained until the top of the sixth inning, when Park moved ahead 4-3, by getting three runs off four hits. The Wolfpack added two more in the seventh to really put the pressure on the Rangers.

Chelsie Nelson singled up the middle for Forest Lake, and she was brought home by a Krystal Plouff double. There would be no repeat to the Roseville comeback, however, and the final would be, 6-4.

Skogen powered the O by going 2-for-3.

On Wednesday, May 2, the girls were in Stillwater and looking for revenge on a 4-2 home loss in mid-April.

The Rangers pulled ahead in the second inning, piled it on in the third, and then put away the Ponies by the score of 10-1.

Lexi Alm was two-for-two with two RBIs, and everyone in the line-up got at least one hit. Dunrud was stellar through six innings, giving up just four hits and striking out two.

“We’ve been talking a lot to the girls lately about moving runners around the bases through ground balls, bunts and sac flies,” Ryan pointed out. “It’s been fun watching them execute. We’ve been using the Twins and their ‘piranha’ style to influence the girls to play as a team offensively, and worked together to score runs.”

MONDAY'S GAME

The flurry of games continued on Monday when Forest Lake traveled to Mounds View (8-5, 5-4).

In the first meeting against the Mustangs, the Rangers and their pitcher, Dunrud, were in control throughout the afternoon and won, 8-4, over Katie Kruse.

With the same two pitchers throwing on May 7, it was Mounds View’s turn as Kruse took the rematch, 3-0. Forest Lake went from nine hits in the April match-up, to just three on Monday.

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