Softball: Errors pile up for Wingers in opening loss

Red Wing wanted to avoid innings where mistakes compound, but in its season-opener the errors piled up in an 11-2 loss to Chaska in Chaska.

The Wingers made seven errors and the gaffes allowed the Hawks to put together big innings in the second and fourth innings.

“I was rather surprised to see our defensive mistakes,” Red Wing head coach Cheryl Borgen said. “Most of them happened in the infield. Most of them were routine, there was nothing difficult about the balls we misplayed.”

Wingers junior Tesha Buck went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the loss. Buck drove in senior Elle Anderson in the fifth inning. Buck also stole two bases.

Chaska took a 2-0 lead after the first inning, but Red Wing cut it to 2-1 after sophomore Mary Bender scored Makaela Egan on a sacrifice. Egan led off with a double and advanced to third after senior Kelsey Bystrom’s sacrifice.

The Hawks went on to score five runs in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead. Chaska added a run in the third and three more in the fourth. The Hawks finished with 14 hits for the game and played flawlessly in the field.

Sophomore Taylor Schwalbe picked up the win for Chaska in six innings of work. Schwalbe gave up five hits, two runs, walked six and struck out 10.

Wingers junior Laura Chalmers took the loss after giving up 11 runs, three earned, on 14 hits. Chalmers walked one and struck out one.

“We expected Chaska to be a tough game they’re a quality team,” Borgen said.

Red Wing faces Northfield Wednesday in Red Wing.

Tags: red wing, sports, prep, softball