Minnesota softball Power 25: A new team takes the top spot

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SBLive's Minnesota baseball and softball top performers of the week (April 4-11)

1. Rosemount (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 3

This week’s games: April 18 vs. No. 5 Hopkins (1-0), April 19 at Lakeville South (1-2), April 21 vs. Lakeville North (2-1-1)

Ranking rationale: Rosemount has come out of the gates firing. The Irish won all six games last week by a combined score of 75-14. That dominant run includes a 10-1 win vs. previous No. 21 Farmington (0-2) and a 10-0 win vs. previous No. 22 Prior Lake (0-3).

Isabelle Nosan is hitting .550 with 11 RBI to lead in both categories, while Paige Zender already has five homers. Jorey Fry and Jessa Snippes are 3-0 in the circle with Snippes leading with a 1.99 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 24 ⅔ innings.

2. Stillwater (4-0)

Last week’s ranking: 4

This week’s games: April 17 vs. Irondale (1-1), April 19 vs. No. 25 Park of Cottage Grove (3-1), April 20 at East Ridge (1-2), April 21 at Woodbury (0-2)

Ranking rationale: While Stillwater doesn’t have the dominant margins of victory like Rosemount at No. 1, the Ponies arguably have the best resume.

They blanked then-No. 4 White Bear Lake (2-2) 3-0 a couple weeks ago and upended defending state champion and previous No. 1 Forest Lake (2-1) April 14 in Forest Lake. The Rangers were held to just three hits. Stillwater only beat a winless Cretin-Derham Hall squad (0-3) 7-5, but that was a day after Stillwater smoked Roseville (0-2) 14-3.

3. Forest Lake (2-1)

Last week’s ranking: 1

This week’s games: April 17 at Mounds View (1-1), April 18 at No. 25 Park of Cottage Grove (3-1), April 19 vs. Irondale (1-1), April 21 at East Ridge (1-2), April 22 at Forest Lake tournament

Ranking rationale: The Rangers lose their top spot, but a hard-fought 4-3 loss to a red-hot Stillwater team now at No. 2 this week is nothing to be ashamed of.

It was an otherwise successful week with a 3-0 win at previous No. 10 White Bear Lake (2-2) and a 19-1 drubbing of a Cretin-Derham Hall (0-3) team that played Stillwater close. Hannah Tong (1.17) in six innings and Avery Muellner (1.27) in 11 innings each have stingy ERAs in the circle.

4. Brainerd (0-0)

Last week’s ranking: 5

This week’s games: April 17 at Moorhead (2-1), April 18 vs. Alexandria (1-2), April 20 at Rocori (0-0), April 22 at Forest Lake tournament

Ranking rationale: While weather and field conditions have improved in Minnesota, it usually takes the northern teams a little longer to be able to start their season.

Brainerd’s originally scheduled season opener April 11 at Bemidji has been rescheduled to May. The defending Class 4A runner up will have to wait until this week to get 2023 underway.

5. Hopkins (1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 6

This week’s games: April 17 vs. No. 13 Maple Grove (3-0), April 18 at No. 1 Rosemount (6-0), April 19 vs. No. 22 Eden Prairie (3-1), April 21 vs. No. 12 St. Michael-Albertville (1-1)

Ranking rationale: The Royals took care of business in the season opener before the schedule stiffens this week. Hopkins won 10-4 at Buffalo (0-2) on April 13.

The Bison went 8-14 last year. All four teams up next on the docket are in the top 25.

6. Shakopee (2-0)

Last week’s ranking: 7

This week’s games: April 19 at Lakeville North (2-1-1), April 21 vs. Eastview (1-1)

Ranking rationale: The Sabers have had to sweat out both wins, but they remain undefeated. Both came on April 14 at a neutral site with a 5-3 win against previous No. 21 Farmington (0-2) and 4-3 against Lakeville South (1-2).

A doubleheader scheduled the next day against Burnsville was postponed. It’s possible Shakopee could be 5-0 when it hosts No. 1 Rosemount (6-0) in an intriguing matchup on April 28.

7. Blaine (0-0)

Last week’s ranking: 9

This week’s games: April 18 vs. No. 10 Centennial (2-1), April 19 vs. Osseo (0-2), April 20 vs. Spring Lake Park (1-2), April 22 at Forest Lake tournament

Ranking rationale: The Bengals were scheduled to have three games under their belts by now. They’ve all been postponed. So have a pair of games last week at Rogers and Robbinsdale Armstrong.

Instead, the long-awaited season opener will come April 18 at home against Centennial. With other ranked teams losing a game, or multiple games, Blaine gets the benefit of the doubt to move higher up in the top 10.

8. Winona (4-0)

Last week’s ranking: 12

This week’s games: April 17 vs. Rochester John Marshall (0-2), April 18 at Rochester Century (1-3), April 20 at Rochester Mayo (2-2), April 22 doubleheader vs. No. 17 Mankato East (3-1)

Ranking rationale: The Winhawks have still not allowed a run. They won their lone game last week 4-0 vs. Byron (3-1) on April 10. This was Winona’s toughest game yet after three mercy rule victories. The Winhawks scored once in the fourth inning and three in the sixth.

Olivia Poulin, Makayla Steffes and Avery Engbrecht all went 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Poulin doubled. Ava Hamsung got the win in 6 ⅓ innings of work with eight strikeouts. Winona has a tough conference game against Mankato East this week to see what the Winhawks are made of.

9. Champlin Park (1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 13

This week’s games: April 18 vs. Spring Lake Park (1-2), April 21 at Anoka (0-0)

Ranking rationale: The Rebels were one of the first teams in the state to get their season underway. They made the most of their opportunity. Champlin Park upset previous No. 7 Centennial (2-1) by a 7-5 score on April 6 indoors at National Sports Center in Blaine.

Champlin Park’s next two games were postponed, so the Rebels were idle last week. Losses for other teams in the rankings leads to the four-spot jump.

10. Centennial (2-1)

Last week’s ranking: 14

This week’s games: April 18 at No. 7 Blaine (0-0), April 20 vs. Coon Rapids (0-2)

Ranking rationale: The Cougars bounced back from a season-opening loss to current No. 9 Champlin Park (1-0) by winning both games last week. First, Centennial picked up a 5-4 dome win April 10 in comeback fashion against Rogers (1-2). Lily Gilmore and Celsi Burn did their part in the No. 3 and 4 slots in the order, each going 2-for-3 with a double and home run.

Riley O’Connell pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts. Life got easier when Centennial got outdoors for an 11-4 home win April 13 vs. Totino-Grace (0-1). Eight Cougars hit safely, led by two hits for Lily Cummans and Lilly Renslow.

Maggie Olson pitched a complete game with six punchouts. Centennial can inch back closer to its preseason No. 7 ranking if it can sweep this week, which includes a ranked conference road game at Blaine.

11. Mankato West (4-0)

Last week’s ranking: 15

This week’s games: April 18 at No. 17 Mankato East (3-1), April 20 vs. Austin (0-5), April 22 at Mankato tournament

Ranking rationale: The Scarlets have been dominant in jumping out to a 4-0 record both overall and in the Big 9 Conference. Their combined margin of victory is 42-9.

Northfield (2-2), one of the top unranked teams, scored seven of those runs and was still doubled up. The competition hasn’t been overly tough, but winning with no doubt is still reason to move up in the ranking with a big test coming up this week.

12. Maple Grove (3-0)

Last week’s ranking: 17

This week’s games: April 17 at No. 5 Hopkins (1-0), April 18 at Anoka (0-0), April 20 at Elk River (2-0)

Ranking rationale: Maple Grove is off to a fast start and could be in the top-10 with another 3-0 week coming up. Last week at home, the Crimson polished off Coon Rapids (0-2) 12-1 on April 10, edged Andover (2-1) 2-1 on April 13 and beat Wayzata (1-1), a team that just upset previous No. 8 St. Michael-Albertville (1-1).

13. St. Michael-Albertville (1-1)

Last week’s ranking: 8

This week’s games: April 17 at Minnetonka (1-1), April 19 vs. Buffalo (0-2), April 21 at No. 5 Hopkins (1-0)

Ranking rationale: The Knights dropped their April 13 opener 2-0 vs. Wayzata (1-1), a team in consideration for a top-25 spot this week. St. Michael-Albertville bounced back the next day with an 8-0 win at Rogers (1-2).

STMA needs a good showing against Hopkins coming up to back up its ranking.

14. White Bear Lake (2-2)

Last week’s ranking: 10

This week’s games: April 17 at No. 25 Park of Cottage Grove (3-1), April 19 vs. Cretin-Derham Hall (0-3), April 21 vs. Irondale (1-1)

Ranking rationale: The Bears started the season 0-2, but those are quality losses as they hung in within a 3-0 score to both current No. 2 Stillwater (4-0) April 7 at a neutral site and at current No. 3 and defending state champ Forest Lake (2-1) on April 10.

White Bear Lake’s brutal early schedule continued with a 1-0 win April 12 vs. previous No. 16 East Ridge (1-2).

WBL could finally let loose in a 12-0 win April 14 at Roseville (0-2). Heidi Barber is off to a hot start hitting .571 with a pair of RBI. Chloe Barber has a .67 ERA in three games recorded on Minnesota Softball Hub.

15. Bloomington Jefferson (1-0)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: April 17 at Osseo (0-2), April 18 at St. Louis Park (1-1), April 19 at Mound Westonka (1-0), April 20 vs. No. 21 Chaska (1-0)

Ranking rationale: The Jaguars make the biggest leap this week, going from off the radar entirely to a top-15 ranking. The formula was upending previous No. 2 Chanhassen (0-1) by mercy rule, 14-4 in five innings. Chanhassen actually jumped out to a 4-0 lead through three innings before a pair of seven-run frames propelled Jefferson to close it out early.

Hannah Effertz had three hits, including a home run, to lead a 14-hit day. Jackie Larsen had two hits and led with three RBI. After a 9-11 campaign in 2022, this could be what lifts the Jaguars to a winning season in 2023.

16. Chanhassen (0-1)

Last week’s ranking: 2

This week’s games: April 18 at Orono (0-0), April 20 vs. Waconia (1-1)

Ranking rationale: One game does not make a season, but the season opener did not go as planned for Chanhassen. Specifically, the last four innings.

The Storm led 4-0 after three innings April 13 at home against previously unranked Bloomington Jefferson (1-0), but the Jaguars surged for a pair of seven-run frames to not only win, but do so via mercy rule in five innings.

Chanhassen graduated a lot of talent from its state tournament team in 2022. There are more good players waiting in the wings, but it could take some time to get the chemistry built up.

17. Mankato East (3-1)

Last week’s ranking: 11

This week’s games: April 18 vs. No. 11 Mankato West (4-0), April 21 vs. Faribault (1-3), April 22 doubleheader at No. 8 Winona (4-0)

Ranking rationale: One surprise slip-up sullied what’s otherwise been a strong start to the season. Mankato East won last week by a combined 28-2 margin against Northfield (2-2), St. Peter (2-1) and at Rochester Century (1-3).

The loss came 5-4 against Le Sueuer-Henderson (1-1), which lost its only other game 5-3 at Belle Plaine (1-1). LS-H is a high-quality Class 2A team that went to state last year, so the sky is far from falling for East.

The Cougars can reestablish themselves by playing well against ranked competition this week.

18. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 25

This week’s games: April 18 ast Waconia (1-1)

Ranking rationale: The Red Knights likely had a bad taste in their mouth from the last time they played St. Anthony Village. It was a 10-0 loss in five innings to end last season in the Class 3A state consolation final.

The two teams met again in the 2023 opener with Benilde-St. Margaret’s prevailing 5-4 in walk-off fashion April 13 at home. B-SM overcame a 3-0 deficit after four innings to pick up one of the best wins statewide on the young season.

19. St. Anthony Village (0-1)

Last week’s ranking: 16

This week’s games: April 18 vs. Richfield (1-0), April 20 vs. Robbinsdale Cooper (0-0), April 21 vs. Coon Rapids (0-2), April 22 at Rochester tournament

Ranking rationale: The Huskies dropped a hard-fought season opener in a rematch of the Class 3A state consolation championship that they won.

Current No. 18 Benilde-St. Margaret’s pulled out a 5-4 walk-off win on April 13. St. Anthony got out to a 3-0 lead through four innings but could not hang on.

20. Delano (1-0)

Last week’s ranking: 20

This week’s games: April 18 vs. Holy Family (1-0), April 20 vs. Southwest Christian (0-2), April 22 at Mankato tournament

Ranking rationale: The Tigers made quick work of their season opener, winning 16-2 in five innings April 13 at Jordan (1-2).

Kaeyln Wittwer led with a 3-for-5 day with five RBI and a double. Carly Stuckmayer got the win in the circle with three innings pitched and two hits allowed with five strikeouts.

21. Chaska (1-0)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: April 18 vs. New Prague (2-0), April 19 vs. Minnetonka (1-1), April 20 at No. 15 Bloomington Jefferson (1-0), April 22 at Mankato tournament

Ranking rationale: The Hawks vault into the top 25 thanks to an impressive 6-1 home win April 14 vs. previous No. 19 Eden Prairie (3-1). The Eagles scored in the top of the first inning before being blanked the rest of the way.

Chaska scored in every time up except for the sixth and outhit Eden Prairie 12-6. Lauren Olson led with three hits. Corina Coppersmith hit a home run and pitched a complete game.

22. Eden Prairie (3-1)

Last week’s ranking: 19

This week’s games: April 17 at Edina (1-0), April 19 at No. 5 Hopkins (1-0), April 21 at Wayzata (1-1)

Ranking rationale: The Eagles drop a few spots for a 6-1 loss April 14 at Chaska, but they’ve looked solid otherwise. Eden Prairie opened the season with a 10-2 win against Park of Cottage Grove, which has won its other three games and debuts in the rankings at No. 25 this week.

EP also won 4-3 April 11 against Waconia (1-1) and won its Lake Conference opener 6-3 April 13 at Minnetonka (1-1).

23. Chisago Lakes (0-0)

Last week’s ranking: 23

This week’s games: April 18 at North Branch (0-0), April 20 vs. Cambridge-Isanti (0-0), April 22 at Mankato tournament

Ranking rationale: This north suburban squad will wait a week or two later than most of the state to get its season underway. Last week’s originally scheduled season opener April 14 at St. Francis was canceled.

24. Hermantown (0-0)

Last week’s ranking: 24

This week’s games: April 18 at Superior, Wicsonsin, April 20 at Cloquet (1-0), April 22 at Hibbing (1-1)

Ranking rationale: Hermantown’s original season opener April 11 vs. Duluth Denfeld was postponed. So was an April 15 game against Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. That means the Hawks will now open the season against another team to the east.

25. Park of Cottage Grove (3-1)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: April 17 vs. No. 14 White Bear Lake (2-2), April 18 vs. No. 3 Forest Lake (2-1), April 19 at No. 2 Stillwater (4-0), April 21 vs. Roseville (0-2)

Ranking rationale: The Wolfpack have looked good since a 10-2 dome loss to then-No. 19 Eden Prairie (3-1) on April 1. Park of Cottage Grove has reeled off three straight wins by a combined 38-14 margin.

That includes a 12-5 win April 13 vs. previous No. 16 East Ridge (1-2). A murderer’s row of games is coming up this week. If Park can take care of Roseville and beat at least one of three ranked foes, it should remain in the top 25, if not move up.