Team scores 51 runs in three victories

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

ROSEMOUNT -- The Riverland softball team opened the season on Monday with three wins over Mesabi Range indoors at the Irish Dome.

Rallying from an early deficit, the Lady Blue Devils of Riverland won 9-5 in the first game of the day. The Lady Devils then won 24-0 and 18-1 in a pair of run-shortened games.

Kaylee Newman was the winning pitcher for Riverland in the opener. It was tied 5-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, when Riverland scored four runs to put it away.

Mandy May started the decisive rally with a double. Laura Meyer then had an RBI double, Danielle Lynch a RBI single, followed by hits from Carmen Smith, Thenedra Corey, and Christy Van Dyke.

"We turned three double plays in the opener and that got us out of some jams," Riverland coach Dave Lillemon said. "We had a nice rally in the bottom of the sixth. That was icing on the cake as we got the season off to a good start."

In the second game, pitcher Anna Breault fired a no -hitter. She struck out two and walked only one in her first start.

Meyer had three hits, Jill Radke three hits, Justine Sanvick three hits, and Liz Triplett belted three hits, 4 runs including a home run. Corey also hit an inside-the-park homer.

"Breault pitched a good game," Lillemon said. "She threw a lot of strikes, and we played good defense. We had a very good offensive day. They rented the dome and we had time for a third game, so everybody played. It was extremely pleasing to see Anna throw a no-hitter in her first start."

Riverland (3-0) returns to the Irish Dome for three more games on Wednesday in the Minnesota Classic Tournament.

RIVERLAND 9, MESABI 5

First game

Mesabi 201 002 0 -- 5 5 2

Riverland 104 004 x -- 9 17 4

Riverland: Laura Meyer 3-4; Jill Radke 2-3, 2 RBI; Carmen Smith 3-3, 2 RBI; Thenedra Corey 3-3, 2 RBI; Mandy May 3-4, 2 2B, 2 runs. WP: Kaylee Newman 7 IP, 5 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HB.

RIVERLAND 24, MESABI 0, 5 Inn.

Second game

Riverland 746 43 -- 24 23 0

Mesabi 000 00 -- 0 0 6

Riverland: Laura Meyer 3-3; Radke 3-3; Justine Sanvick 3-3, 2B, 4 runs, 4 RBI; Liz Triplett 3-3, HR, 3 runs, 4 RBI; Corey 2-4, HR, run, 2 RBI. WP: Anna Breault 5 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K.

RIVERLAND 18, MESABI 1, 5 Inn.

Third game

Mesabi 010 00 -- 1 1 1

Riverland 221 0(13) -- 18 21 1

Riverland: Meyer 4-4, 4 runs; Corey 3-3, HR, run, 4 RBI; Triplett 2-3, 4 RBI. WP: Kaylee Newman 4 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K.