by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
Thief River Falls emptied its bench during a dominant 10-3 win over Roseau Thursday, April 18 at the Multi-Events Center in Thief River Falls.
It was the Prowlers’ first home game of the 2019 season. Thief River Falls entered the game with a 2-1 record, having dropped a 13-5 decision to perennial North Dakota power West Fargo, while picking up shutout wins over Moorhead and Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal by scores of 11-0 and 5-0, respectively, in earlier road games.
The Rams went down in order in their first at bat. Thief River Falls starter Alexa Rogalla struck out Olivia Urness and Kiersten Flaig, and Kiahna Flaig grounded out to third to end the inning.
Thief River Falls’ one and two hitters Alexa Rogalla and Alexis Huot both singled to begin the Prowlers’ first home at bat of the season. Number three hitter Camryn Schwab singled to score Rogalla from second and advance Huot to third. Huot scored on a groundout to short by Hannah Magnusson.
With Schwab on third and only one out, Roseau starter Chloe Johnson escaped further damage by inducing a pop-up by Khloe Lund that was fielded in foul territory and a flyball by Breanna Wienen that was fielded by Roseau shortstop Becca Wensloff.
Alexa Rogalla struck out two more batters in the second inning as she retired the Rams in order.
Thief River Falls kept its foot on the gas pedal in the second inning, plating seven runs on eight hits. Eme Gunderson, Gabriella Steele, Haylie Rogalla, Alexa Rogalla, Schwab, Lund and Wienen picked up hits and scored in the inning.
Alexa Rogalla picked up two more strikeouts and once again retired the side in order in the top of the third. Up 9-0, she was pulled from the game early to give the Prowlers’ other pitchers a chance to get some in-game work.
Huot moved from right field to the pitching rubber to start the fourth inning and the Rams took advantage of the change with an unearned run. With one out in the inning, Kiersten Flaig singled to left center field. She advanced to second on a passed ball. She moved up to third on a groundout by Kiana Flaig and scored on a throwing error by Hannah Magnusson.
The Prowlers answered in the bottom of the fourth as Eme Gunderson doubled to center and scored on a double by Yasmine Vondal-Gayden to make it 10-1 in favor of the Prowlers.
Huot pitched a scoreless fifth, before giving way to sophomore Haylie Rogalla for the final two innings. Haylie Rogalla shut the Rams down in order in the sixth inning, but allowed two runs on two hits in the seventh to finish off the 10-3 win.
Scoring ……………………………..r h e
Roseau …………..000 100 2 – 3 4 0
TRF…………………270 100 x -10 17 1
Pitching – (Roseau) Chloe Johnson – L, 6 IP, 17 hits, 10 runs, 10 earned runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts. (TRF) Alexa Rogalla- W, 3 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts; Alexis Huot 2 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout; Haylie Rogalla 2 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts.
Offensive highlights – (Roseau) Shavonda Bender 1/3, double; Chloe Johnson 1/3, RBI. Kiana Flaig 1/3. Kiersten Flaig 1/3. (TRF) Eme Gunderson 3/4, 2 doubles; Yasmine Vondal-Gayden 2/2, 2 doubles, RBI; Camryn Schwab 1/2, 2 RBI; Khloe Lund 1/4, 2 RBI.