St. Peter rallies late, sweeps WHS in softball doubleheader

Apr. 11—WORTHINGTON — A two-out, two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning gave visiting St. Peter a sweep Saturday in a high school fast-pitch softball doubleheader with the Worthington Trojans.

Leading 7-6 at Centennial Field, Worthington retired the first two St. Peter batters in the inning on an outstanding diving catch of a foul ball by catcher Maddie Peterson and a slow bouncer to pitcher Haley Grimmius. But Grimmius walked the next hitter, who moments later took second base on a wild pitch. Lilly Ruffin drilled a hard line drive single to right-center field to plate the tying run. She scored later on a single by Sophia Doherty.

Thus, Worthington, in its first two games of the season, lost both on scores of 11-1 in five innings, and 8-7.

There were extenuating circumstances for the Trojans on Saturday, but that didn't make the results any easier to swallow.

"That was a tough one," said WHS head coach Rosalie Hayenga-Hostikka. "We did a lot of good things, so to lose it in the bottom of the seventh inning was a bummer. But to lose five kids to quarantine ..."

The Trojans played both games without some key starters, including their exceptional senior catcher Sophie Wietzema. Six Trojans who had never had an at bat in a varsity game were inserted into the lineup.

"You gotta be proud of how we regrouped in game two," Hayenga-Hostikka admitted.

In the first game, Grimmius sent down St. Peter 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning and all by strikeout. In the bottom of the first, the Trojans scored a single run. But St. Peter scored the next 11, highlighted by a two-run home run by Ryenne Pettis in the third inning and a three-run homer by Lilly Ruffin in the fifth.

Worthington collected a mere two hits in the contest off Pettis, one each by Grimmius and Lauren Nelson.

Grimmius pitched the distance in both the first and second games. She walked five in the opener.

In the nightcap, Worthington led 3-0 through an inning and a half and maintained its lead until the seventh. Grimmius belted a two-out, two-run single in the second. Nelson hit a two-run single in the fourth, and Pressley Sieve delivered another RBI hit in the inning.

WHS also made some nifty plays in the field. In the third inning, shortstop Olivia Hayenga ranged to her right on two occasions to rob St. Peter players of hits.

In the top of the seventh, the Trojans were working to score a much-needed insurance run. Skyler Tosch singled to start the inning, went to second and third on wild pitches, and as the second out was made at first base on an infield throw, was cut down at the plate.

Worthington had 13 hits in the second game, including three by Grimmius.

First game

St. Peter 022 25 — 11 7 1

Worthington 100 00 — 1 2 4

Second game

Worthington 120 301 0 — 7 13 2

St. Peter 020 121 2 — 8 10 1