By: J. Daniel Pearson
St. Cloud’s outstanding softball season came to a halt Thursday night, as the Boone Braves recorded a 4-2 win over the Bulldogs in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal game on Wednesday night.
Aracelys Gonzalez struck the big blow for Boone, unloading a three-run triple with two outs in the top of the fourth inning. The rally started when Saliah Collazo opened the inning with double and Kaylyn Woods reached on the fielder’s choice. St. Cloud pitcher Addison Felblinger retired Karlee Detcher on a pop out to short but Paige Barry coaxed a walk on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Lily Surber popped out to short but on a 2-2 pitch, but Gonzalez ripped a sinking line drive down the line that got by the St. Cloud leftfielder allowing three runs to score to make it a 4-1 game.
Still, the Bulldogs fought back.
They made it a two-run game in the bottom of the fifth as Grace Comiskey reached on an error and came around to score on Madelis Reyes double.
St. Cloud posted a real threat but came up empty in the bottom of the seventh. Sophia Soto opened the inning by reaching on an infield hit. Grace Watford reached on a throwing error and Comiskey was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
But with no outs and the potential winning run on first base, Kacey Pagan fouled out to first. Reyes hit a sinking soft line drive that was caught by shortstop Emma Wolfgramm, who tossed to third to double off Soto.
It was the third double play of the game for Boone, who went to 15-10 on the season and will next play Jupiter in a regional semifinal.
“We made a few base running errors but I thought we played a pretty solid game all around,” St. Cloud coach Ray Whobrey said. “At the end of the day, we simply didn’t come up with the big hit when we needed it.” For the night, the Bulldogs finished the game one for seven with runners in scoring position.
Although St. Cloud had had seven hits – including three extra base hits – and put runners on base in six of the seven innings, Boone pitcher Charlotte Tellez kept the Bulldog hitters off balance all night. In addition to being aided by the three double plays, she retired seven batters on pop outs to the infield. “She’s not a power pitcher, but that certainly worked to her favor tonight,” Whobrey said. “All season long you get used to facing fast pitchers and when run into a player who throws slower, it can be as effective as a changeup and you are going to get a lot of popups.”
It was a tough loss for Felblinger, who allowed seven hits and struck out seven. She pitched out of trouble in several innings – giving just that one big inning.
The loss ended St. Cloud’s season at 21-6. “It was a tough ending but I am so proud of these kids and what they accomplished this year. This is a young team that won 20 games and a district championship. We will miss the four seniors we graduate, but we have a lot of talent coming back.”
