Woodbury softball: Royals outlast Hastings in extra innings

The Woodbury softball team had a 2-1 week to lift itself out of last place in the Suburban East Conference.

The Royals beat Hastings 9-8 in extra innings and Cretin-Derham Hall 4-1 after falling to third-ranked Forest Lake 6-1 in a trio of conference games last week.

Woodbury is now 3-8 overall and 3-8 in the SEC.

“Hopefully we’ve turned the corner and continue to play well,” Woodbury head coach Bob Samson said.

Woodbury started the week falling to unbeaten Forest Lake 6-1 on Wednesday. Woodbury spaced out 10 hits in the loss, but couldn’t bunch enough together to do much damage. Seniors Sam Kosel and Amanda Retica and junior Kaitlyn Shea each had two hits for the Royals. Forest Lake is now 11-0 on the year and 11-0 for first place in the conference.

Woodbury rebounded on Thursday against Hastings, however.

Down 7-3 in the seventh inning to Hastings (4-7; 4-7 SEC), Woodbury junior Brooke Pantila hit a grandslam home run for the Royals to tie the game 7-7. Then, after Hastings scored in the top of the eighth inning to go ahead 8-7, Woodbury senior Alex Benedict knocked in fellow senior Josie Ryan for the game-winner in the bottom of the inning. Pantila had two homers in the game and a total of six RBI. Kosel and senior Chloe Richter had three hits each for the Royals. Pitcher Ali Jacobsen earned the win on the rubber.

Following the win, Woodbury won back-to-back games for the first time, shutting down Cretin-Derham Hall 4-1. Pantila got the win from the pitcher’s circle and senior Emily Beedle had an RBI double in the fourth inning to help lift the Royals to a win. Cretin-Derham fell to 3-8 overall and 3-8 in the SEC with the loss.

Woodbury was at Mounds View on Monday after the Bulletin went to print. The Royals host rival Park on Wednesday and go to Roseville on Thursday.

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