By Mike Drooger

E/SW 3 Red Lake Falls 1 

(8 innings)

In the wonderful atmosphere Mankato’s Caswell Park provides, the Edgerton/SW MN Christian Flying Dutchmen softball team was hoping to play three games for the eighth straight season. After beating the Red Lake Falls Eagles 3-1 on Thursday afternoon, they were assured of three games in 2022. 

In the game of softball, like every other sport, successful teams take advantage of the opportunities given them. And the really good teams don’t sit back and wait for those opportunities—they go out and get them. E/SW had the chance to score early, which they did. Then, after Red Lake Falls retaliated, they responded in a big way for the exciting victory on a beautiful, sunshine-filled day in North Mankato.

When Ana Veldkamp gets ready to step into the batter’s box to start the game, her teammates chant: “L-E-A-D-O-F-F—she’s our leadoff hitter and she’s one of the best.” That is a bold statement, but who’d dare argue? Veldkamp proved that she is one of the best vs. Red Lake Falls by getting three hits, the first of which came in her first at bat. The speedster was also able to swipe second and third base. The Dutchmen were dangerously close to stranding Veldkamp at third after back-to-back strikeouts, but junior Makenna Moss laced an Eagle pitch into the gap in right-center for a double, an RBI, and quick 1-0 lead.

The score remained 1-0 until the Eagles scored an unearned run in their half of the fifth. Pitcher Paris Van Dyke had been able to keep RLF off the scoreboard until then by getting four strikeouts plus some great defensive plays behind her.

After seven complete innings, the game was knotted at 1-1 with the top of the order coming to bat for E/SW, which was great news because it meant Veldkamp had the opportunity to get things started. She did just that getting another slap hit. Alyda Vande Griend was up next, and she sent a scorcher to short that scooted under the glove of the shortstop. As the ball rolled through the outfield grass, Veldkamp motored all the way home, and Vande Griend slid into second with no outs. Then it was Moss Time again for Coach Andrew Fleischman and the Dutchmen delegation. “Big Mac” ripped a single up the middle to plate Vande Griend for a 3-1 lead. An E/SW strikeout ended the eighth and then it became Paris the Pitcher Time. She slammed the door shut on the Eagles.

RLF did make things interesting in the bottom of the eighth with a pair of singles after a strikeout, but Van Dyke got a comebacker to the circle for the second out, and she struck out the final batter looking with runners at second and third for an emotional 3-1 win.