Eagan ended Eastview's bid for a second consecutive state softball championship Tuesday with a 6-1 victory in the Class 4A, Section 3 semifinals at Richfield.
Junior pitcher Alyssa Jolliffe hit a triple in the bottom of the first to bring in the Wildcats' first run. She went on to allow four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over seven innings.
Junior Halle McGuire's third-inning double brought in two runs. The next batter, sophomore Mya Krahn, drove in two more.
Eagan split two previous matchups against Eastview, winning the first 5-4 before dropping a 4-1 decision in the second round of the playoffs last Wednesday. The Wildcats will play Park of Cottage Grove for the section title.
This is the first year that softball has four classes.
In other section softball games:
Buffalo 4, Rogers 1: After a pair of one-run losses to Rogers during the regular season, Buffalo exacted a bit of revenge by defeating the top-seeded Royals in a Class 4A, Section 8 winners' bracket game. The Bison, the No. 3 seed, scored four runs in the top of the first inning and held on behind pitcher Morgan DeMarais. Rogers will play Elk River on Thursday in the losers' bracket final, with the winner advancing to meet Buffalo.
South St. Paul 6, Holy Angels 5: Kory Rutkowski powered the Packers' offense with a three-run homer, and Elise Barnes also homered. South St. Paul's Alyssa Pederson made a nice catch to end the game with runners on second and third. The Packers will take on Simley on Thursday in the section finals.
