RCTC softball team breaks through to win region tournament and earn a national berth

May 10—ROCHESTER — This year there was nothing but smiles and tears of joy.

A year ago the Rochester Community and Technical College softball team lost in the Region 13A Tournament as the season ended in disappointment. But on Friday, the host Yellowjackets earned an elusive region championship with a 9-3 victory over Minnesota North College-Rainy River.

"We're so excited," RCTC pitcher Zoey Clark said. "We knew it was going to be a really hard tournament but we persevered and pushed through."

RCTC (19-18) went 3-0 in region play to earn a berth in the Division III NJCAA National Tournament.

It will be the first national appearance in softball for the Yellowjackets in more than 15 years.

"That's really, really big for us," Clark said. "... We're ecstatic to go and be the first team to go in a while."

Sophomore Jada James earned her second trip to a national tournament this school year for RCTC. She was also a starter on the women's basketball team that placed second in the Division III national tournament in March.

"It's really exciting," she said. "I'm really excited to go to Tennessee because I've never been there. And I'm just glad we got there. Honestly, it's been a long time coming."

RCTC will play in the national tournament May 22-25 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

James said the Yellowjackets had good chemistry throughout the season and were united in their attempt to win a region championship.

"This was a goal that everybody wanted and we all worked really hard to get here," she said.

RCTC coach Jami Stejskal thought that this RCTC team had a chance to be special since the players first started working with the coaches in January, which now seems like a long time ago.

"I'm so proud to be working with the coaching staff and this group," Stejskal said. "... They just needed to build confidence in each other. They came alive at the right time."

The Yellowjackets beat Rainy River in both the semifinals and championship game and both were comeback victories. In the semifinals on Thursday, RCTC trailed 5-4 before scoring four times in the top of the seventh inning.

In the championship game, the Yellowjackets were down 4-2 before scoring four times in the top of the sixth and three more in the seventh.

"We're all really, really close with each other and we know we can pick each other up," Clark said. "We know we have the abilities to do those things and make runs."

Heading into the crucial sixth inning, Stejskal told her team to "just relax, have fun and live in this moment."

And as they have for much of the season, the Yellowjackets responded in a positive way.

"They just keep fighting and keep going," Stejskal said. "... This team just continues to battle."

The Yellowjackets were effective using small-ball during the contest. Brynn Irish drove in a run with a bunt single in the fourth while RCTC used two bunts successfully in the key sixth inning.

"We just needed to get runners on," Stejskal said. "We never stopped pushing and were fired up."

The bottom third of the order came up big for RCTC. Michaela Kern went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, Irish had a hit and two RBIs and Bria Nelsen hit a double and drove in a run.

Clark pitched a five-hitter and she did not allow a hit after the fourth inning. The right-hander from Viroqua, Wis., retired 10 of the final 12 hitters she faced.

Stejskal noted that RCTC had to overcome some obstacles during the course of the season. That included several injuries, incluing a recent one to Lake City's Mirrah Wells that will sideline her for the national tournament as well.

Clark was named the MVP of the region tournament and she was one of four Yellowjackets named to the All-Tournament Team. The others were catcher Aubrey Grover, first baseman Kern and shortstop Abby Zahn. All three are Kasson-Mantorville grads.

RCTC/Rainy River boxscore