Spartans Softballers Rally to Win Opener

Playing its first game since the state tournament in June 2010, the Richfield softball team rallied from a 6-1 deficit to defeat visiting South St. Paul, 12-8, in its season opener Monday afternoon.

Senior Carly Klass toed the rubber as starting pitcher for the Spartans and also led off the Richfield season with a home run on the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the first inning.

However, South St. Paul led the hosts 3-1 after one inning and 6-1 after the second frame as the Spartans struggled to find their rhythm both offensively and defensively.

The Spartans pulled to within 6-5 in the third inning on RBI hits by Kallie Johnson and Sophie Pulice and a run-scoring bases-loaded walk from Rachel Hilzinger; yet, a two-run homer in the top of the fourth pushed South St. Paul's  advantage to 8-5.

That's how the score remained until the top of the fifth inning, as Hannah Davis and Hilzinger scored to pull Richfield to within a run at 8-7 with two outs.

Then, the heavy-hitting began.

After a Shayla Jeffers single, Richfield hit five-straight RBI doubles off the bats of Johnson, Bryann Guyton, Pulice, Shelby Blunt and Hannah Davis to turn a one-run deficit into a four-run lead at 12-8.

Klass made the edge hold, giving up just one more hit and striking out two of the final seven batters she faced—including her final hitter—as the Spartans claimed the come-from-behind victory over its Classic Suburban Conference (CSC) rival.

Next up for Richfield is a home matchup against Simley at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday.