Mitchell softball takes 2nd at state

SIOUX FALLS — The Mitchell high school softball team picked up three wins Saturday on the final day of the state softball tournament in Sioux Falls, but lost to Sioux Falls Washington to finish runner-up.

The Kernels needed to defeat Washington twice, but fell 9-0 to end the season in second place. Mitchell recorded wins over Sioux Falls Lincoln, Watertown and Rapid City Central to make its way into the championship.

The Kernels landed four players on the all-tournament team as Abby Sudbeck, Jenna Skinner, Hallie Misiaszek and Krista Huber all received first-team honors.

After cruising past Sioux Falls Lincoln 15-4 in five innings, a game in which the Kernels set a team record for hits in a game with 16 and saw senior Courtney Moore break the team record for RBIs in a career (59) by driving in two, Mitchell was set to face off with a Watertown team that took the Kernels to extra innings in the opening round of the state tournament on Friday.

The teams found themselves in extras yet again as Mitchell tallied four runs in the eighth to come away with a 7-3 victory.

“The offense woke up big time in the eighth inning,” Mitchell coach Jim Misiaszek said. “We had five hits in the eighth and really broke it open.”

Krista Huber got the win on the mound over Watertown. Huber, who hit a home run in the win over Lincoln, struck out 15 and allowed just four hits in eight innings of work.

Skinner recorded her second 2-for-3 performance of the day and drove in two to bring her RBI total for the day up to five. Alexis Blindauer was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Sudbeck had two hits and an RBI in the contest.

“Alexis was very key and really stepped up,” Jim Misiaszek said. “I was very pleased with how she hit the ball.”

In the semifinal game against second-seeded Rapid City Stevens, Mitchell allowed an unearned run early and was down 1-0 in the sixth inning.

In the sixth, Sudbeck singled to put the go-ahead run at the plate and Skinner continued her impressive day as she clobbered a two-run home run with a full count to give the Kernels the lead. Skinner finished the game 2-for-3.

“That was the biggest hit of the year for us, it got us into the championship game,” coach Jim Misiaszek said. “Jenna was doing great and knocking in runs all day.”

Hallie Misiaszek shut down Stevens the rest of the game to pick up her third pitching victory of the tournament. She allowed three hits and struck out four in the contest as the Kernels won 2-1.

Mitchell finished the season 19-13.

Notes: Moore’s 59 career RBIs broke Kaleigh Rolle’s record of 58 for the Kernels. … Mitchell finished 4-2 at the state tournament with both losses coming against Sioux Falls Washington. Washington did not lose a game in the tournament.

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