Rosemount finishes softball season undefeated, wins state championship against Forest Lake
MANKATO, Minn. -- The big school class championship game pitted two powerhouses against each other.
Rosemount was going for the perfect season and defending state champ Forest Lake, who finally broke through for their first state title a year ago.
This is a rematch of the championship game two years ago when the Irish won state.
But it was the Lakers pouncing first, a fly to the gap causes a collision and Forest Lake led in the second inning.
But Paige Zender stayed hot in the 4th - a two-run homer to take the lead, her fourth bomb of the tournament.
Rosemount added four insurance runs in the sixth.
Jessa Snippes pitches another gem and the Irish win 6-1.
It's the first time a class 4A or 3A team has gone undefeated.
"It's hard work, dedication. You have to be really good with your team," Zender, Rosemount senior, said. "You have to be able to grind out and even though if you don't want to keep going you just have to keep going with your team."
In class 3A it was Chisago Lakes making their championship game debut and Mankato East coming off a marathon 10-inning contest in the semifinals.
The Cougars got out in front and kept adding on. Tiegan Richards drove home a run in the 5th to put them up 7-0.
Then, junior Destiny Reasner went yard in the 7th. Mankato East takes the trophy 11-0 in their first state appearance in 11 years.
"Feels good to bring something new to Mankato and have it not always being West, having it be East this time. We showed up and we came to play today. It was great," said Kylinn Stangl, Mankato East sophomore pitcher.