Hangin' tough - softball team begins playoffs today

Players and coaches just shrugged their shoulders Wednesday when the Tigers softball team found out its fate for the Section 2AAA playoffs, which begin today at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

Hutchinson (8-11) was given the No. 10 seed in the 12-team section. Coaches were hoping to be eight or nine, ahead of Minnetonka and Chaska, who each have only five wins.

Despite the seeding, the team plans to move on and face whoever tests them.

Last year, Hutchinson was forced to play a first-round game with the eventual state runner-up Chaska squad.

For more than five innings, the Tigers gave the Hawks and star pitcher Brynne Dordel all they could handle. Chaska didn’t score until the sixth inning — plating five unearned runs with two outs.

That game has seniors Lynn Wegner and Sarah Gensmer confident that this year’s team can play with anybody.

Even top seed Mankato West (18-1) or Missota Conference champion Prior Lake, who outscored the Tigers 23-3 this season.

“When we came into the Chaska game we thought they’d demolish us. They had a really good record. But we learned something in that game. We can play with good teams and I think that experience will help us out this year,” Wegner said.

“We really had nothing to lose in that Chaska game. We went out and made the plays and got good pitching and we really showed them that they couldn’t overlook us,” Gensmer said. “That’s what we want to do this year.”

Section 2AAA Softball schedule
Tuesday, May 20
Day One (5 p.m.)
(8) Chaska vs (9) Minnetonka
(6) Willmar vs (11) New Prague
(7) Buffalo vs (10) Hutchinson
(5) Shakopee vs (12) Waconia

7 p.m.
(1) Mankato West vs Winner of 8/9
(2) Prior Lake vs Winner of 7/10
(3) Mankato East vs Winner of 6/11
(4) Eden Prairie vs Winner of 5/12

Thursday, May 22
Day Two
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
Losers’ bracket 5/7 p.m.

Saturday, May 24
Day Three
Winners’ bracket finals, 1 p.m.
Losers’ bracket 11 a.m./1 p.m.

Tournament concludes May 27/29. All games at Caswell Park, North Mankato

To read more about senior Sarah Gensmer and the Tigers, check out Tuesday's print edition on newsstands right now.

Eric Kraushar is the sports editor at the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sports@hutchinsonleader.com.