SBLive's Minnesota softball Power 25: St. Michael-Albertville rises into the top-5

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1. Rosemount (15-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

This week’s games: May 15 vs. No. 6 Shakopee (12-3), May 16 at No. 20 Eden Prairie (11-7), May 17 vs. Eastview (8-10), May 18 at No. 23 Farmington (10-6)

Ranking rationale: There’s parity all throughout Minnesota softball this year, but not at the top. Rosemount continues to be the clear cut favorite. The Irish went 3-0 last week. 

There was a bit of a scare in a 6-3 win vs. Lakeville South (7-10) where the score was tied 2-2 after five innings. Rosemount didn’t fool around the next day, winning 10-0 in a rematch. 

Rosemount picked up yet another top-25 win, downing previous No. 24 Lakeville North (7-7-1) by a 6-2 final. 

The Irish trailed 2-1 after five before a five-run top of the seventh turned the tide. Macy Fry led with a 3-for-4 effort. Rosemount could lose a game or two and would likely still hold down the No. 1 spot.

2. North St. Paul (15-1)

Last week’s ranking: 3

This week’s games: May 15 at Simley (6-9)

Ranking rationale: It’s not always pretty, but the Polars just have a knack for winning games. 

After suffering their first loss of the season a couple weeks ago to non-conference foe and previous No. 2 Stillwater (15-3), North St. Paul rattled off three consecutive home wins to clinch the Metro East Conference title. 

The Polars topped Tartan (5-8) 3-0, Hill-Murray (8-7) 6-4 and Hastings (6-8) 3-1. 

Madelyn Anthony leads the team in batting average (.625), RBI (35) and home runs (8) just to name a few stats. She’s also the top pitcher with a 2.54 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 71 ⅔ innings.

3. Maple Grove (14-2)

Last week’s ranking: 4

This week’s games: May 15 at Elk River (9-6), May 16 vs. Osseo (3-12), May 18 at No. St. Michael-Albertville (14-2), May 19 at No. 20 Eden Prairie (11-7)

Ranking rationale: Maple Grove was in consideration to leapfrog North St. Paul, but a surprising loss to end the week limits the Crimson to a one-spot move up. 

Maple Grove went 4-1 last week with a 2-0 win May 8 vs. current No. 7 Mankato East (13-2) and 3-1 win May 11 vs. previous No. 2 Stillwater (15-3). 

That last win extended Maple Grove’s streak to 11. East Ridge (7-9), an early-season top-25 team that’s had some midseason rough patches, got it together to upset Maple Grove 2-1 on May 13. 

Fortunately, that was a non-conference loss as Maple Grove is 10-0 and a lock to win the deep Northwest Suburban Conference.

4. St. Michael-Albertville (14-2)

Last week’s ranking: 7

This week’s games: May 15 at Edina (5-9), May 16 at No. 12 Hopkins (9-4), May 17 at No. 17 Champlin Park (14-4), May 18 vs. No. 3 Maple Grove (14-2)

Ranking rationale: St. Michael-Albertville has trended upward all season. After an opening season loss, the Knights won 14 straight. 

That nearly month-long streak finally came to an end in their last outing, a 12-9 loss at previous No. 16 Blaine (8-7). It was still a 3-1 week overall and a 2-0 mark in conference. 

STMA will win its first Lake Conference title in its third season as a member. The trio of Khendal Johnson, Camryn Dubel and Taylor Tschida are all batting over .400 with eight-plus RBI and one or two home runs. 

Kendra Behrens and Ella Luoto provide a 1-2 punch in the circle each logging 50-plus innings with a 2.36 and 2.18 ERA, respectively.

5. Stillwater (15-3)

Last week’s ranking: 2

This week’s games: May 15 at Mounds View (3-13), May 17 at No. 12 Park of Cottage Grove (13-4)

Ranking rationale: After an 8-0 start to the season, the Ponies have lost a little pace. Stillwater responded well to its first loss on May 1 with five more victories in a row, but last week the Ponies settled for a 3-2 record. 

The losses were defensible, coming on the road to a Maple Grove (14-2) team that moves up to No. 3 this week and to White Bear Lake (12-4), which rose to No. 11. Stillwater dominated previous No. 8 Park of Cottage Grove 14-6 and routed two more conference foes to sit in first place in the Suburban East. 

The rematch with Park could have conference title ramifications, as well as who slots above the other in the Power 25.

6. Shakopee (12-3)

Last week’s ranking: 6

This week’s games: May 15 at No. 1 Rosemount (15-0), May 16 vs. Chaska (5-9), May 17 vs. Apple Valley (1-14), May 18 at Eagan (6-17)

Ranking rationale: Shakopee was in consideration for a top-five spot after a 4-1 week. The Sabers’ lone loss came in a 6-5 ball game May 9 at Minnetonka (9-7), which jumped from just outside the top 25 last week to No. 19 this week. 

Shakopee completed the season sweep of No. 23 Farmington (10-6), by a 3-0 score on May 8. The Sabers avenged a 4-3 loss to Lakeville North on April 9 by a win by the same score May 10 at home. 

Shakopee extended its win streak to three by sweeping a doubleheader vs. Eastview (8-10). A win vs. Rosemount would certainly do the trick, but if the Sabers hang tough and run the table the rest of the week, a top-five spot could still be on the way.

7. Mankato East (13-2)

Last week’s ranking: 9

This week’s games: May 16 at Rochester Mayo (7-8), May 18 vs. Red Wing (4-13), May 19 at No. 9 Mankato West (11-2), May 20 vs. Belle Plaine (11-3)

Ranking rationale: The May 10 state coaches poll and my esteemed opinion are in agreement that the Cougars are the top team in Class 3A. 

There are a lot of worthy contenders in the class, many of which come from the Big 9 Conference. 

Mankato East has the inside track to win the coveted title by eking out a 3-2 win over Mankato West and current No. 8 Winona (14-2) earlier in the season. East and West have a rematch this week, but only the first game between Big 9 teams count toward the standings. 

The Cougars went 3-1 last week and gave Maple Grove (14-2), which jumped to No. 3 this week, a tough 2-0 game on May 8.

 East is up to a 4-1 record against top-25 teams after beating current No. 23 Farmington (10-6) 4-2 May 13 on the road and 8-1 later that day against No. 15 New Prague (11-3) in Farmington.

8. Winona (14-2)

Last week’s ranking: 14

This week’s games: May 17 at Kasson-Mantorville (8-3), May 18 at Faribault (4-10), May 19 vs. No. 24 St. Charles (16-0)

Ranking rationale: The Winhawks have yo-yoed a bit in my top 25, but it’s not so much a slight as it is a reflection of how fluid things are as high as No. 2 in the ranking down through the next couple dozen teams or so. 

Winona gets credit this week for keeping hopes of at least a share of a valued Big 9 Conference title thanks largely to an 8-1 rout May 10 at home vs. Mankato West (11-2), which still rose a spot to No. 9 this week. 

The Winhawks rolled Rochester John Marshall (2-12) and Austin (1-14) by a combined 24-1 score. A win over Faribault for Winona and a Mankato East slipup against Rochester Mayo (7-8) or Red Wing (4-13) would produce a co-championship for Winona, as well as help its cause in the top 25. 

Winona lost 5-4 vs. East back on May 5. Makayla Steffes (.14 ERA, 51 ⅔ innings) and Ava Hamsund (.85 ERA, 41 ⅓) make for an excellent pitching staff. Both also hit over .400 and have 18 RBI.

9. Mankato West (11-2)

Last week’s ranking: 10

This week’s games: May 15 vs. St. Peter (7-9), May 17 at Rochester Mayo (7-8), May 18 at Owatonna (11-4), May 1 vs. No. 7 Mankato East (13-2)

Ranking rationale: Despite an 8-1 loss May 10 at current No. 8 Winona (14-2) that knocked Mankato West out of Big 9 Conference title contention, the Scarlets’ objective of winning a state title doesn’t seem out of reach. 

West hung within a run of current 3A-No. 1 Mankato East (13-2) early in the season and has a rematch, which doesn’t count toward the conference standings, coming up this week. 

The Scarlets recently picked up a 12-9 win over current No. 12 Hopkins (9-4) on May 5. A lot of losses from teams near West in the top 25 allows it to still move up a slot after a 1-1 week. The win was a 5-3 result May 9 vs. Northfield (12-6).

10. Forest Lake (13-3)

Last week’s ranking: 12

This week’s games: May 15 vs. Roseville (2-14), May 17 vs. Woodbury (4-11), May 19 vs. Prior Lake (8-8)

Ranking rationale: Credit to the Rangers. The defending Class 4A state champions did not hit the panic button after a 2-2 start. Close losses to current top-10 teams No. 5 Stillwater (13-4) and No. 12 Park of Cottage Grove (13-4) proved to be no big deals as Forest Lake won seven straight games and 11 of its next 12. 

The only other loss was another close one at Stillwater. Forest Lake avenged its loss to Park and has shut out a conference foe seven times in 2023. 

The Rangers went 4-0 last week against the bottom half of the Suburban East by a combined 45-4 score.

11. White Bear Lake (12-4)

Last week’s ranking: 13

This week’s games: May 15 at Woodbury (4-11), May 16 vs. Irondale (4-13), May 17 vs. No. 12 Hopkins (9-4), May 18 vs. Blaine (8-7)

Ranking rationale: The Bears are cruising as winners of seven straight. White Bear Lake knocked off previous No. 10 Park of Cottage Grove 2-1 May 8 at home and No. 2 Stillwater 7-1 May 9 at home. Chloe Barber has been a true ace, maintaining a .82 ERA over 102 ⅓ innings with 202 strikeouts and 41 walks. 

She’s also leading the team in RBIs (22) and home runs (7). White Bear Lake is trending in the right direction with the section playoffs looming.

12. Park of Cottage Grove (13-4)

Last week’s ranking: 8

This week’s games: May 15 vs. Irondale (4-13), May 17 at No. 5 Stillwater (13-4), May 18 at East Ridge (7-9)

Ranking rationale: There’s a lot of interchangeability among the top four teams in the Suburban East Conference. Even further down the standings can teams jump up and bite one of the title chasers. 

The Wolfpack have avoided the “bad loss,” so to speak, but it has work to do if it wants to be a conference champ after a 2-2 record last week. The losses were at No. 11 White Bear Lake (11-4) 2-1 on May 8 and vs. leader Stillwater 14-6 on May 10. 

A rematch for Park at 12-3 in the conference this week with Stillwater at 14-2 keeps Park’s hope alive. 

Park split with No. 10 Forest Lake, which is 12-3 in the Suburban East, as well as with WBL at 12-4. Park salvaged a .500 week thanks to two separate 7-0 wins over Roseville (2-14) on May 9 and 12.

13. Hopkins (9-4)

Last week’s ranking: 11

This week’s games: May 15 at No. 21 Wayzata (9-6), May 16 vs. No. 4 St. Michael-Albertville (14-2), May 17 at No. 11 White Bear Lake (12-4), May 18 vs. Wayzata

Ranking rationale: The Royals peaked inside the top five early in the season but will now have to close strong to re-enter the top 10. Hopkins went 1-2 last week. 

A 5-2 loss May 8 at St. Michael-Albertville wasn’t a big blemish, but an 8-7 loss at previously unranked rival Minnetonka (9-7) the next day had to sting. 

The Skippers jumped into the top 25 at No. 19. Speaking of sting, the Royals buzzed by the Edina Hornets (5-9) 9-6 to salvage the week with a road win on May 11. 

Pretty much every game this week is an opportunity to build up the resume and prepare for next week’s section playoffs.

14. Rogers (11-4)

Last week’s ranking: 15

This week’s games: May 15 at Robbinsdale Armstrong (7-7), May 16 at No. 17 Champlin Park (14-4), May 17 at No. 21 Wayzata (9-6), May 19 vs. Blaine (8-7)

Ranking rationale: A 4-1 week allows the Royals to slot up a spot in this week’s top 25. 

Half of Rogers’ losses this season are by a run, including 6-5 May 11 at Anoka (7-7). The Royals otherwise took care of business, winning 14-0 vs. Totino-Grace (1-12), 4-3 vs. Coon Rapids (0-15), 10-5 at Moorhead (9-8) and 9-2 vs. Monticello (5-9). 

Rogers could realistically win or lose each game this week, so it will be interesting to see how Rogers fits into a tightly contested top 25 next week.

15. New Prague (11-3)

Last week’s ranking: 19

This week’s games: May 15 at St. Louis Park (4-10), May 17 vs. Waconia (10-4), May 18 vs. Orono (9-4), May 19 at Chanhassen (3-10), May 20 at Waconia

Ranking rationale: A 4-1 week with plenty of good wins and a reasonable loss allows New Prague to be a high riser this week. 

The Trojans’ shook off a 4-3 loss to end the previous week at a solid Northfield (12-6) squad by routing Chaska (5-9) 8-1 at home and adding a solid road victory May 10 over Orono, 7-5. 

New Prague knocked off Bloomington Jefferson (10-3), which jumped to No. 19 this week, 8-3 May 11 at home. The Trojans pulled out a 3-2 win May 12 at home against New Ulm (12-4), which has been just outside the top 25 all season. 

The four-game win streak ended with an 8-1 loss May 13 in Farmington against Class 3A-No. 1 and No. 7 overall Mankato East (13-2).

16. Brainerd (14-3)

Last week’s ranking: 5

This week’s games: May 16 vs. Moorhead (9-8), May 19 vs. Andover (10-7)

Ranking rationale: Brainerd falls quite a bit this week, but as I’ve noted throughout this week’s rankings, the margins are razor thin. The Warriors don’t play the toughest schedule, so losses matter a bit more. 

Brainerd went 4-2 last week and got off to a great start with a 9-0 win May 8 at previous No. 16 Blaine (8-7). Two of the teams the Warriors lost to this season they turned around and beat in the second half of a doubleheader. 

That was the case May 10 against Sartell-St. Stephen (12-3), which was in top-25 consideration this week. Brainerd lost the first 2-0 and won the second 6-5. 

The Warriors kept winning 12-2 May 11 vs. Fergus Falls (4-6) and 8-6 May 13 vs. Princeton (7-10) before dropping a tight non-conference matchup 4-3 vs. North Branch (8-6). Brainerd’s three losses are by a combined four runs.

17. Champlin Park (14-4)

Last week’s ranking: 18

This week’s games: May 16 at No. 14 Rogers (11-4), May 17 vs. No. 5 St. Michael-Albertville (14-2)

Ranking rationale: Champlin Park is Reb-hot right now. The Rebels are on a streak of nine straight wins since a loss on May 5 vs. current No. 16 Brainerd (14-3). 

They went a whopping 7-0 last week. The competition wasn’t elite, but nice wins were had in a sweep of previous No. 16 Blaine (8-7) and a win against Andover (10-7), which was in contention for a top-25 spot this week. 

Champlin Park avenged early-season losses to Andover, as well as Anoka (7-7). The Rebels can keep climbing next week, if it only splits its last two challenging regular season games.

18. Bloomington Jefferson (10-3)

Last week’s ranking: 20

This week’s games: May 15 at Benilde-St. Margaret’s (2-9), May 16 vs. DeLaSalle (10-7), May 17 doubleheader vs. Orono (9-4), May 19 at Waconia (10-4), May 20 vs. Woodbury (4-11)

Ranking rationale: In a sense, the season’s already a success for Bloomington Jefferson. 

The Jaguars have reached double-digit wins, surpassing last year’s win total from its 9-11 squad a season ago. Jefferson is part of the new blood atop Metro West Conference. 

While No. 15 New Prague (11-3) is likely going to be the champ after completing the sweep of Jefferson last week, the Jags have already locked up a top-half finish. 

Last week, Jefferson went 4-1 with the only loss coming to New Prague. It picked up a doubleheader sweep of Chaska (5-9). In one of the wins, a 14-9 result, Jackie Larsen went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, a double and two steals.

19. Minnetonka (9-7)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 15 vs. Holy Angels (11-2), May 16 vs. Buffalo (1-14), May 17 at Visitation (3-6)

Ranking rationale: It’s been an up and down season for the Skippers, but they’re trending up after closing last week strong. A disappointing 9-8 loss May 8 at Edina (5-9) was their third in a row. 

The slump motivated Minnetonka to rattle off a 6-5 win May 9 vs. current No. 6 Shakopee (12-3), 8-7 win vs. No. 13 Hopkins (9-4) and 17-2 win May 12 vs. No. 21 Wayzata (9-6). 

That made for a season sweep of Hopkins and salvaged a split with Wayzata. Minnetonka also split with No. 20 Eden Prairie (11-7). 

It’s very possible the Skippers could enter the playoffs on a six-game win streak.

20. Eden Prairie (11-7)

Last week’s ranking: 21

This week’s games: May 16 vs. No. 1 Rosemount (15-0), May 19 vs. No. 3 Maple Grove (14-2)

Ranking rationale: The Eagles haven’t quite been able to find a sustained rhythm this season, but an 11-7 record against one of the state’s toughest schedules is respectable. 

Pulling off a win in one of Eden Prairie’s last two games could make a good season great. Last week, the Eagles went 2-1 with a hard-fought 3-2 loss May 10 at current No. 4 St. Michael-Albertville (14-2). 

Eden Prairie completed the season sweep of Wayzata with a 10-4 home win May 8 and avoided a trap game upset by getting past Buffalo (1-14) 5-2 May 12 at home.

21. Wayzata (9-6)

Last week’s ranking: 22

This week’s games: May 15 vs. No. 13 Hopkins (9-4, May 17 vs. No. 14 Rogers (11-4), May 18 at Hopkins

Ranking rationale: The Trojans went 2-2 last week but could be resigned to a bottom-half finish in the Lake Conference after going 0-2 against conference rivals. 

Wayzata began the week with a 10-4 loss May 8 at current No. 20 Eden Prairie (11-7). The Trojans bounced back with a 7-4 win May 10 vs. a solid Robbinsdale Armstrong squad (7-7). Pitching has been an issue at times as Minnetonka plated 17 in a 15-run home win on May 12. Wayzata tends to play well after losses. 

It bounced back with an 8-6 win at home against Prior Lake (8-8). The Trojans will want to win at least one of its final three games against ranked competition to feel better heading into the section playoffs.

22. St. Anthony Village (11-2)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 15 at Centennial (9-7), May 17 vs. Mounds Park Academy (9-1), May 19 vs. Coon Rapids (0-15)

Ranking rationale: A season-opening loss to a Benilde-St. Margaret’s team that’s now 2-9 could make it easy to write off St. Anthony Village. 

The Huskies don’t face the toughest schedule playing in the Tri-Metro Conference, so top-25 wins have been hard to come by. An 11-game win streak is still hard to ignore. 

The streak included victories over Hiawatha Valley League leader Byron (12-3), which is ranked No. 10 in the Class 3A coaches poll. St. Anthony is No. 6 in 3A. Class 1A-No. 1 and Gopher Conference leader Randolph and a winning team like DeLaSalle (10-7) are two more notable wins. 

The nearly month-long streak came to an end with a 3-1 loss to a 4A squad in consideration for this week’s top 25.

23. Farmington (10-6)

Last week’s ranking: 23

This week’s games: May 15 vs. Lakeville North (7-7-1), May 17 at Prior Lake (8-8), May 18 vs. No. 1 Rosemount (15-0)

Ranking rationale: After Rosemount, the South Suburban Conference hasn’t been ultra competitive, but a top-three finish Farmington has sewn up is still a good achievement. 

The TIgers went 2-3 last week and 2-1 in the SSC. The week began with a 3-0 loss May 8 at No. 6 Shakopee (12-3). Farmington bounced back with an 8-2 win May 10 at Apple Valley (1-14) and 8-4 win May 11 vs. Burnsville (5-10-1). 

The Tigers slipped up 4-2 at home May 13 against the top team in Class 3A and top No. 7 overall, Mankato East (13-2) and dropped another tight one 4-1 later in the day vs. a New Ulm (10-4) team in consideration for the top 25. 

Finishing the week 2-1 could be necessary to stay in the top 25, but an upset of Rosemount could help Farmington climb mightily.

24. St. Charles (16-0)

Last week’s ranking: 25

This week’s games: May 15 at Belle Plaine (10-3), May 16 at Wabasha-Kellogg (7-10), May 19 at No. 8 Winona (14-2)

Ranking rationale: St. Charles picked up a nice win in a battle of two of the top teams in the Three Rivers Conference. 

West division leader St. Charles won 5-3 May 9 vs. East division leader Winona Cotter (11-2). The Saints are usually blowing teams out, but they’ve won in the rare times teams can hang close, too. 

This was their third win by two runs, which ties for the tightest margin. It was a 3-0 week thanks to a sweep of Plainview-Elgin-Millville (7-6) by a combined 21-1 score. 

It’s been hard to move St. Charles up much higher than this in the top 25 due to strength of schedule, but if the Saints beat a couple bigger schools this week, the case can be made.

25. Providence Academy (10-0)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 15 vs. Heritage Christian (3-9), May 16 vs. Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (2-12), May 19 doubleheader vs. Mounds Park Academy (9-1)

Ranking rationale: There are legitimately a dozen-plus teams I could make a convincing argument for to round out the top 25, if not be ranked higher. 

Waconia (10-4), Sartell-St. Stephen (12-3) and Andover (10-7) are just a few that come to mind. Instead, some love is going to a Class 2A squad that could be on a collision course to take on fellow unbeaten No. 24 St. Charles (16-0) at the state tournament. 

Aside from a 6-4 win May 8 at Holy Family (8-7), Providence Academy has won every game by four or more runs and has 10-runned half of its opponents. 

It’s hard to truly know how good the Lions are without having faced a top-25 team, but they’ve blown out almost everyone on their schedule.