Due to a variety of reasons, the Lady Spartans were shorthanded all weekend, but they battled and really played some pretty good softball in stretches, but just were not able to string together enough good at bats to win games. In game one against Riverland, the Lady Spartans scored in the bottom of the first as Itzel Salazar was hit by a pitch and came around to score. Chloe Koljonen drew a lead-off walk in the second and scored, and Kaisa Jones walked and scored in the third to give the Lady Spartans a 3-1 lead. Riverland scored three in the top of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead but Koljonen led off the bottom of the fourth for the Lady Spartans with a towering home run to straight away center that hit the scoreboard and tied the game 4-4. Kacey Fredrickson walked and came around to score on a hit by Salazar and the Lady Spartans had a 5-4 lead. The Lady Spartans ran into trouble in the top of the fifth as Riverland plated 7 runs and took an 11-5 lead. The Lady Spartans threatened but couldn’t push any more runs across. Riverland scored two in the top of the seventh and the final score ended 13-5.

Game two was back and forth early with both teams scoring runs. Riverland scored three in the top of the first, but the Lady Spartans answered with three in the bottom of the first. Salazar doubled and Jones walked. With a couple of runners on Amzie Aho delivered a two run triple to make the score 3-2 Riverland. Aho would come around to score and tied the game 3-3. Riverland took the lead with one in the top of the second, but the Lady Spartans scored three more in the bottom half of the inning. Amzie Aho once again had the big hit as she drove in two runs with a single and would come around to score to give the Lady Spartans a 6-4 lead. Unfortunately, the Lady Spartans would rally, but could not score another run and Riverland just kept adding and won the game 10-6.

On Saturday the Lady Spartans were really shorthanded and played a very good Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) team. Rochester won game one 12-1 and game two 14-1. In game two, Kaisa Jones had two hits and Hadassa Hylden had a double. Hadassa also really made some nice defensive plays in right field.

The Lady Spartan conclude the weather shortened season with a doubleheader Wednesday against Anoka Ramsey. Anoka Ramsey leads the division leader and is currently ranked #6 in the nation. On Thursday the Lady Spartans take on another powerhouse, St. Cloud Technical and Community College. Both games are at home and start at 3:00.