The Lyle/Pacelli softball team kicked off the Missy Blaser era in thrilling, if not victorious, fashion Friday. They rallied for two late runs to send it into extra innings, but host New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva was able to pull it out 6-5 in 10 innings of non-conference action.

"It was an exciting game,"

said head coach Blaser of her first game on the bench for Lyle/Pacelli. "But it definitely would've been better without that four-run third inning they had."

L/P took an early 3-1 lead, but some defensive lapses in the third helped NRHEG put four runs on the board to take the lead. The score remained the same until L/P's last turn at bat.

Kelsey Sampson and Rebecca Mino started the rally with singles. After Heather Farrell reached on a fielder's choice, a passed ball moved the runners up, but NRHEG almost caught Farrell in a rundown between second and third. This allowed Mino to score the first run of the inning, while Farrell ended up safe at third.

Another passed ball eluded the Panther catcher, but it didn't get far enough away to prevent a play at the plate. Farrell knocked the ball out of the catcher's mitt though, tying the ballgame and sending it into extra innings.

Neither team was able to push a run across until the 10th, when NRHEG put a runner on with one out when L/P failed to field a bunt cleanly. A two-out steal of second put the winning run in scoring position. A drive to left field fell in for a hit, giving the hosts the 6-5 victory.

Louise Mudra went the distance for L/P, allowing 10 hits and a walk while striking out eight. Both Mudra and batterymate Mino had three hits, with two of Mino's being triples. Kate Boisjolie had two hits in her five trips to the plate.

NRHEG improves to 2-1 with the win, while L/P (0-1) will have to wait until next Tuesday for a chance at its first win when they travel to Blooming Prairie.

Linescore:

Lyle/Pacelli2100002000--5114

NRHEG1040000001--6102

WP--Hagen. LP--Mudra (0-1).

L/P--Mino 3-5, 2 3B; Mudra 3-5; Boisjolie 2-5.