Esko Advances In 7Aaa Playoffs

Wes Vork-NSO

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May 21

Kerry Rodd-NSO

If you had to rate the Esko versus International Falls softball game on a scale of 1-10 for how the game was played you would rate it next to the low end of that range. The game, played on a beautiful day at Braun Park, was horribly sloppy and neither team played defense like they are capable. However, Esko will take the result, which turned out to be a 22-5 win in the Section 7AA quarterfinal game.

It was an inauspicious start for the Eskomos who gave up three unearned runs in the top of the first inning to fall behind 3-0. All three runs were unearned as the Eskomos struggled to make plays in the field.

As the Bronco’s took the field for the bottom of the first, the Esko faithful had an uneasy feeling which lasted all of two pitches to Eskomo leadoff batter Kortney Lindberg.
She reached base to start an eight run inning giving the Eskomos an 8-3 lead. They never were threatened by the Bronco’s the rest of the way.

To say the game was sloppy was to put it mildly. Both teams struggled with the gloves at the beginning and International Falls never was able to stop the bleeding. In fact, the blood oozing from the wound in the first inning turned into a gusher as the Eskomos erupted for 12 runs in the fourth inning. Farah Wirtz had two triples in the fourth and Steph Miller added a bases loaded triple in the inning as well.

Kelsey Saralampi, pitched a five-inning six-hitter for the Eskomos, and she aided her own efforts by going 3-for-4 at the plate. Sarah Krocka, Farrah Wirtz and Kari Palmi all delivered two hits for Esko and Savannah Hanson belted out a 3-for-4 game for the Eskomos.

The win improves the Eskomos to 17-5 on the season and they will move on to play in the Section 7AA Final Four in Cohasset next Tuesday at 1:00 pm against Hermantown. The Hawks, who defeated Moose Lake-Willow River 8-1 improved to 20-2 on the season.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com