Prep Softball: Section 6A Playoffs: Lady Braves eliminate Sebeka, 9-1

Lindsey White and Tarah Cleveland scattered three hits and Joy Haataja ripped two doubles as Menahga won 9-1 to bounce Park Region Conference rival Sebeka from the Section 6A playoffs Thursday.

The two teams had split during the regular season, with Menahga winning 9-6 in the season opener back in April. The Lady Trojans even the score with a 2-1 win at home on May 17.

The Lady Braves hammered out 11 hits in the contest and erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to advance to the North Subsection championship game.
Menahga would take the early 3-0 lead after three innings. Haataja drove in Cleveland in the first frame with a RBI groundout and then ripped her first double to score pinch runner Beth Tormanen in the third inning. Cleveland also added to the Lady Trojans’ misery with a RBI sacrifice fly to center that scored Jada Melton.

Sebeka got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth to make it 3-1. Katianne Brockpahler led off the frame with a line drive to center and then scored on Katie Huttunen’s double into the right-center gap.

The Lady Braves answered in the home half of the frame when Haley Hotakainen drew a walk and back-to-back singles from Alicia Ahlf and Morgan Clements loaded the bases. Jada Melton struck out for the second out of the inning, but White kept the Lady Braves alive with a two-run base hit. Cleveland followed with an RBI single and Haataja capped the inning with her second double of the game, a two-bagger along the third base line to spotted Menahga the 8-1 lead.

Cleveland’s RBI double to left in the sixth finished out the Menahga scoring.

White struck out 12 and surrendered three hits to pick up the win in the circle.

Offensively, White (3-for-4 with 2RBI) and Cleveland (3-for-4, double and 3RBI) led the Lady Braves at the plate while Haataja went 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI.

Huttunen, Katianne and Brett Brockpahler registered hits for the Lady Trojans, who finished the season 11-10.

Menahga (15-7) advanced to face Class A, sixth-ranked Hawley (17-0) in the 6A North Subsection title game later that evening.

Section 6A Playoffs
No. 2 Menahga vs. No. 3 Sebeka on May 26
Lady Braves 9, Lady Trojans 1
Sebeka 0 0 0 1 0 0 0—1 3 0
Menahga 1 0 2 5 0 1 x—9 11 0
WP: Lindsey White (Menahga) 7IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 12K
LP: Brett Brockpahler (Sebeka) 6IP, 11H, 9R, 9ER, 3BB, 4K
Sebeka—Katianne Brockpahler 1-3, R; Katie Huttunen 1-3, 2B, RBI; Brett Brockpahler 1-2
Menahga—White 3-4, 2RBI; Tarah Cleveland 3-4, 2R, 2B, 3RBI; Joy Haataja 2-3, (2)2B, 4RBI; Alicia Ahlf 1-3, R; Morgan Clements 1-3, R; Jada Melton 1-3