Clutch hitting. Shutdown pitching. And in the end, domination.
Added all up, it equaled the Section 5AAA title, and the first trip to state for St. Francis softball in 41 years, as the second-seeded Saints shut out top-seeded Delano 7-0 in the championship game May 30 in Elk River, completing a perfect 4-0 run through the tournament.
It was the second win in a row for the Saints over Delano, after a 6-5 win two days prior to reach the finals. St. Francis opened the postseason with wins of 1-0 over Zimmerman and 5-1 over Monticello.
“We have been making adjustments all year and continue to get better every time we step on the field,” all-state honorable mention Alexa Skogquist said. “We didn’t hit well against Zimmerman, but got the bats going in the final two games against Delano and executed our game plan. We played solid defense and our pitching was tough.”
“I think we played our best softball yet,” junior catcher Emerson Markas said. “We improved with every game and never let up. We knew our end goal and didn’t stop until we won. It was super fun being able to play a good team twice. They went to state in previous years, and it was good insight to see what comes next. I think we handled the pressure with really good composure and used the pressure to spark our urgency each game.”
St. Francis took a quick lead with a first-inning run in the finals, then seized firm control with five runs in the third. The Saints added one more run in the fourth, then kept the Tigers from creating any comeback chances for a convincing championship celebration.
“Pure joy! Such an incredible feeling with so many emotions,” Skogquist said. “This was our goal from the very beginning of the year, and now it’s a reality. We are peaking at the right time and I’m excited to continue our run and finish strong this week.”
Kara Schwintek went 3-for-3, stealing two bases and scoring a run. Abby Keding had two hits and scored twice, Skogquist had two hits and drove in two, Markas drove home two, Taleeya Draack scored a run and drove in one, and Kiersten Terris and Addy Halland each added a run.
Pitcher Sydney Borchert fired a six-hitter and struck out six for a second playoff shutout and fourth win in the circle.
“Sydney has been a varsity pitcher for us since seventh grade,” St. Francis head coach Sharon Bergman said. “As a sophomore coming into this season, I had 100% confidence in her, but I knew she was feeling the pressure of leading our team to state. I reminded her often that the team has to do their job also, supporting her defensively and by scoring runs. She trusts her catcher, junior Emerson Markas, which is also very key in being a successful pitcher. Sydney dialed in, handled the pressure and continued to challenge our opponents at the plate!”
The Saints reached the section finals a year ago and were tied into the sixth inning in a runner-up finish.
Coming so close, the team was motivated and focused heading into this spring.
“Going into sections after placing second added pressure to our season,” Bergman said. “We struggled getting runs across against Zimmerman, but improved that with every game. I was confident in our solid pitching and defense, and once we hit games 2, 3 and 4, our offense produced runs needed to win.”
“I was so proud of how our team handled the games,” Skogquist said. “We were focused, excited and ready to play. Last year we came up short in the section finals, so this year we were determined to come out on top.”
“It was surreal,” Markas said. “Last year we fell just short, and that was a heartbreaking end to our season, but this year we had a drive to win, and the feeling of achievement, accomplishment and pride in my team was so great — it just didn’t feel real.”
Coming on the heels of last year’s heartbreaking finish, and growing through adversity in the years prior, the trip to state feels all the sweeter.
“What is special about this team is that we have been through the growing pains together,” Bergman said. “In 2021, we were a very young team. Our current juniors and seniors were the seventh, eighth and ninth grade starters then on the team. Our record was terrible. These last few years, we have been able to grow together, knowing with time we would have the team we have now to competitively play on the field. Because we have done this together, we do not play as individuals, but we fight as one team. The feeling of taking this team to state is one of high honor and pure joy. It has been 41 years since St. Francis High School has taken a softball team to state. As the head coach, I knew going into this season I was blessed with many gifted and talented players that are dedicated in the offseason to this program. There have been many tears of joy as I am proud of each and every one of these girls in the role that they have confidently taken to bring this team to the 2024 state tournament. I am so proud!”
St. Francis was scheduled to play in the Class AAA state tournament June 5-7 in North Mankato.
Section 7AAAA
Andover challenged second-ranked Forest Lake into the final frame, before the Rangers scored four seventh-inning runs to put away an 8-3 win in the Section 7AAAA championship May 30. Laci Heppell homered, Maia Johnson doubled and drove in two, and Lydia Gorowsky scored a run and drove in one. The Huskies finished the season 20-5.
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