Thunderbolts drub Roosevelt in season opener

• Happy day for 'Bolts

It was a good opening day for Amanda Henderson (right) coach Denny Larson and the South Washington County adapted softball team as the Thunderbolts won, 16-7, at Minneapolis Roosevelt on Monday, April 5. Bulletin File Photo.

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The South Washington County Thunderbolts adapted softball team is on pace to go 13-0.

The ‘Bolts started the season with a 16-7 win on the road on Monday, April 5 against Minneapolis Roosevelt.

“We did really well,” Thunderbolts head coach Denny Larson said. “The kids were pretty excited about winning their first game. It was a pretty good way to start the season out.”

Up 9-6 the ‘Bolts scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to go ahead 14-6, then cruised through the final two innings for win No. 1.

Thunderbolts senior pitcher/outfielder Zech Krueger provided the big hit in the game — a home run that capped South Washington County’s five-run fifth inning. Krueger was 2-for-3 in the game, with two runs, two RBI, a home run and a double.

Fellow senior Alayna Olson was also 2-for-3 in the game with two runs scored, while junior Nick Paulson went 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored and eighth-grader Amanda Henderson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

“We got 13 out of our 28 kids in the game and the other 15 cheered them on,” Larson said. “Some of them have never played softball before and they’re excited about giving it a try. They’re doing pretty good.”

In the game, the Thunderbolts (1-0) went ahead 5-0 in the top of the first, scoring the maximum runs per inning, while Roosevelt could only record one out.

The ‘Bolts never trailed in the game, adding two runs in the second inning, two runs in the fourth inning and two runs in the sixth inning.

“It was a very positive way to start the year out,” Larson said. “That was pretty cool.”

Next up for South Washington County is a matchup with Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville in the ‘Bolts’ home opener on Wednesday, April 7 at East Ridge, before the squad travels to the capitol city to take on St. Paul Humboldt on Monday, April 12.

“I’m very, very pleased with the way the kids came out and turned it on,” Larson said. “You can’t ask for anything better than coming off spring break and winning the first game.”

Tags: east ridge, adapted softball, sports, woodbury, prep