Softball: Z-M wins home tournament

Zumbrota-Mazeppa faced two of the top team in Class A Saturday in its tournament and came away with victories against both on its way to a tournament title.

The Cougars (9-0, 6-0 HVL) are ranked second in Class 2A and picked up a 14-8 victory over New Life Academy, the four-time defending Class A state champion and second-ranked team in Class A, and a 11-10, eight-inning victory over sixth-ranked Lewiston-Altura. Z-M won the championship game 15-5 in five innings over Visitation.

The Cougars hit seven home runs in the three games. Megan Nelson had a home run in each game while Lydia Wagner, Tayler Mort, Carley Henning and Rachel Mensink all hit home runs.

Z-M got production throughout its lineup in the tournament as all nine players had a hit against New Life Academy and eight of nine hitters had a hit against Lewiston-Altura and Visitation for the Cougars.

Z-M used a five-run fourth inning to take a 9-5 lead against New Life Academy when Mort connected for a three-run homer. Mort finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and Wagner also hit a two-run homer in the fifth to finish with four RBI. Nelson hit a three-run homer in the sixth and finished with three RBI.

After giving up five runs in the first four innings Nelson settled down and finished with six strikeouts, three walks and gave up five runs, three earned on six hits.

Lewiston-Altura rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at 9-9 and force extra innings, but in the eighth the Cougars scratched across two runs when Alex Weber had a two-out single to score two runs.

Lewiston-Altura came back to score one run in the bottom half of the inning and had a runner on third with two outs before its No. 4 hitter grounded out to end the game.

Nelson went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer and Amber Jentsch drove in three runs. Mort finished 2-for-4 and Morgan Olson went 2-for-5.

A 12-run fourth inning propelled Z-M to a victory over Visitation in the title game. Henning went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer in the third and Nelson hit a solo shot in the first inning.

The Cougars face seventh-ranked Rochester Lourdes Monday in Rochester.

Tags: sports, prep, softball, zumbrota, mazeppa