AURORA- The softball field at Mesabi East remains packed with snow, but the North Woods Grizzlies found the makeshift diamond on the school’s artificial turf football field to their liking for their first game of the season on Monday, trouncing the Giants by a football-like 21-7 score.
It took pitcher Evelyn Brodeen an inning to settle in, but after surrendering four runs in the first, she got dialed in. With solid fielding behind her, Brodeen had two shutout innings and allowed only three more runs in the game, collecting eight strikeouts against just two walks and giving up a total of 12 hits.
Helen Koch collected the Grizzlies’ first hit of the season in the bottom of the first with a triple to right and scored when Skyler Yernatich followed with a double. Hannah Cheney doubled Yernatich in for a run, then stole home for the Grizzlies’ third score. Addy Burckhardt crossed the plate on another stolen run to bring the game even after one, 4-4.
Mesabi East answered with two in the top half of the second, but the Grizzlies exploded for 13 unanswered runs in their next two at-bats to take a 17-6 lead en route to a five-inning 21-7 win.
The Grizzlies had a heyday at the plate, getting hits and RBIs up and down the lineup. Koch went four-for-four at the plate with two triples and two runs batted in. Cheney was three-for-three with a double, a triple, and four RBIs. Avery Thiel was three-for-three hitting, and Brodeen and Yernatich each collected three hits on four trips to the plate.
The Grizzlies’ home opener will be Tuesday, April 19 when they host Littlefork-Big Falls, weather and field conditions permitting.