Cloquet Girls Come up Just Short in 11 innings

Wes Vork-NSO

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Apr 19, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

CLOQUET – In 11-innings of softball on Thursday afternoon, the Cloquet Lumberjacks stranded 13 runners, which eventually cost them their opportunity to take a win over the Mora Mustangs. Instead, managed a run in the top of the 11th and then held the Jacks scoreless in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-3 win away from the Jacks on their home field at Braun Park.

Cloquet started quickly with a run from leadoff batter Kayla Masessa, but eventually the game became a pitchers dual between the Lumberjacks Chandler Beaupre and the Mustang’s Noel Elzenjem. Beaupre finished with nine strike outs over the 11 innings and walked just one while giving up 11 hits. Elzenjem fanned three, walked four and gave up nine hits to the Lumberjacks.

Leading the Cloquet offensively was Dalyce Gustafson and Shania Paulson who each managed a pair of hits, but it was the lack of timely hits that cost Cloquet. In the bottom of the 10th the Jacks had a runner on second with no outs, but they could not push the run across.

Mora tied the game with two runs in the top of the seventh and finally managed to take the lead in the top of the 11th when the leadoff batter, Kristine Eustice, doubled and eventually scored on a dropped fly ball in right field for Cloquet with two outs. Eustice led the Mustangs with four hits on the day.

The loss drops Cloquet to 1-2 on the season. The Jacks will try to even their record on Monday when they host the Esko Eskomos.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com