Softball: Lakers rally to keep their season alive in Section 8-3A playoffs

COLD SPRING – The Detroit Lakes softball team pulled off an impressive comeback to earn its biggest win under head coach Sydney Prussia.

Trialing 10-6 after five innings against fourth-seeded Willmar in the elimination round of the Section 8-3A tournament, the sixth-seeded Lakers scored five runs in the final two innings, including four in the seventh, to win their first playoff game since 2019. The Lakers ended the Cardinals’ season with a dramatic 11-10 victory.

Siri Vagle started the top of the sixth with a single before scoring on Maddy Bellanger’s RBI double. Questis Weidenbach drew a walk to start the top of the seventh inning before Ella Okeson reached base with a one-out single. Weidenbach was retired on a fielder’s choice after Emma Coley and Siri Vagle singled. Okeson, Coley, Vagle and Maddy Bellanger, who reached on an error, all scored to give Detroit Lakes a one-run lead in the last inning.

Coley came in relief for starting pitcher Sidney Borgmann. Facing the bottom of the order, she retired the Cardinals to mark the first playoff win for Detroit Lakes in almost three years.

Vagle went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Coley, Bellanger and Okeson all had multi-hit games as well. Bellanger tallied four RBIs on the day.

Detroit Lakes played in the elimination round after a 21-4 loss on Tuesday against third-seeded Alexandria. Alexandria beat second-seeded Little Falls in the winner’s bracket to advance to the Section 8-3A semifinals. Detroit Lakes will play Little Falls at 4 p.m. in Rocori on May 31. The winner gets the loser of Alexandria and top-seeded Rocori for a chance to go to the section championship.

The Lakers played the Flyers in the final game of the regular season and lost 20-4.