By John RittenhouseThe Luverne softball team remains alive in the Section 3A Tournament after going 1-1 in Pipestone Tuesday to open the event.Luverne nipped Redwood Valley by two runs in the opening round before losing a six-run decision to Pipestone in the second round.The Cardinals capped Southwest Conference play by splitting a double-header with Worthington in Luverne Thursday.Luverne, 9-10 overall, resumes play in the double-elimination section tournament Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. game in Redwood Falls.Section 3A playThe Cardinals extended the season by going 1-1 to open the Section 3A Tournament in Pipestone Tuesday.Luverne edged RWV 5-3 in the first round before falling 6-0 to Pipestone in the second round.The Cards plated a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to win the opener.With the score deadlocked at three, LHS received a two-out break when Natalie Domagala reached base on a catcher’s interference call. Kerri Fransman reached base on an error before Sarah Ailts delivered a two-run double to give the Cards a 5-3 cushion.When LHS pitcher Sarah Wynia retired RWV without allowing a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Cards prevailed by two runs.Wynia fanned 11 batters, walked five and surrendered five hits while going the distance on the mound.Fransman received an RBI in the third inning and Alison Brands slapped a two-run double in the fourth.The Cardinals couldn’t keep the momentum going in the second game against Pipestone.The teams battled to a scoreless draw through four and one-half innings before the Arrows took advantage of six Luverne errors in the bottom of the fifth to score six runs.Sarah Schneekloth singled in the fifth inning to account for Luverne’s lone hit in the contest.Wynia tossed all six innings for LHS, striking out five batters, walking two and surrendering four hits.Worthington setThe Cardinals capped a 4-8 Southwest Conference season by splitting a twin bill with the Trojans in Luverne Thursday.The hosts cruised to a 12-2, six-inning win over Worthington in the opener. The Trojans evened the series with a 4-1 victory in the finale.Wynia turned in a solid pitching effort to lead the Cards to victory in Game 1. Wynia fanned nine batters and walked three during a six-hit effort.The Trojans scored two runs against the LHS pitcher to tie the game in the top of the second, but the Cards scored the next 10 runs to win handily.Ailts drove in three runs with two hits and Jessa Dahl picked up two hits and two RBIs to lead the Cards at the plate. Fransman and Domagala added two hits each.Luverne took a 1-0 lead in the second game when Domagala walked before scoring on Ailts’ fielder’s choice.Worthington countered by scoring the final four runs to win by three.Wynia went the distance on the hill. She recorded seven strikeouts, walked two batters and yielded four hits.Domagala doubled and Courtney Fodness singled for LHS in the game.
