SBLive's Minnesota softball Power 25: North St. Paul leaps into the top-10

The Polars had huge wins over Eden Prairie and Le Sueur-Henderson

1. Rosemount (10-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

This week’s games: May 3 at Burnsville (3-5-1), May 5 at Farmington (6-3), May 6 at No. 14 Mankato West (7-1)

Ranking rationale: The Irish are the first team in the state to double digit wins. Rosemount has fallen behind early in some games, but its ultra-loaded lineup has allowed it to battle back and win games by big margins. 

A 17-9 win vs. Eagan is the closest call so far in 2023. Paige Zender is having a monster year with team highs of eight home runs and 22 RBI. Jessa Snippes has a 1.76 ERA in the circle with a 62/16 strikeout to walk ratio.

2. Stillwater (8-0)

Last week’s ranking: 2

This week’s games: May 1 at Cretin-Derham Hall (5-3), May 2 at East Ridge (2-5), May 3 at Roseville (0-5), May 5 vs. No. 8 Forest Lake (5-2), May 6 vs. No. 3 North St. Paul (8-0)

Ranking rationale: Rosemount and Stillwater have separated themselves from the rest of the competition as we hit the halfway point of the season. 

The Ponies haven’t been quite as dominant offensively as the Irish, but they’re as tough to score on. The pitching staff of Sienna Nelson and Anna Corbid have blanked four opponents and haven’t allowed more than five runs in a game. 

Last week, Stillwater swept its three Suburban East Conference games by a combined 28-1 score.

Photo by Jon Namyst

3. North St. Paul (8-0)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 1 vs. Two Rivers (6-1), May 2 at Mahtomedi (1-7), May 3 vs. Mahtomedi (1-7), May 5 vs. South St. Paul (4-3), May 6 at No. 2 Stillwater (8-0)

Ranking rationale: The Polars made big waves last week winning all six games by a combined 46-13 margin. It started with a 10-0 win April 24 at Two Rivers (6-1) to give the Warriors their lone loss. 

They were a team in consideration for a top-25 spot this week. More highlights include a 9-5 win April 29 on neutral field against Class 2A power Le Sueur-Henderson (5-3), the only team that’s beaten No. 13 Mankato East (7-1). 

That same day, North St. Paul won 5-2 at No. 23 Eden Prairie (7-4). Madelyn Anthony leads the Polars with a .652 average, 17 RBI and three home runs at the plate. 

In the circle, she’s 4-0 with a 2.15 ERA and a 30/10 strikeout to walk ratio.

4. Hopkins (5-2)

Last week’s ranking: 4

This week’s games: May 1 vs. Buffalo (0-6), May 2 vs. No. 14 Mankato West (7-1), May 4 vs. No. 23 Eden Prairie (7-4), May 6 at Eagan tournament

Ranking rationale: Hopkins isn’t immune to an upset as it lost 12-6 vs. Minnetonka (4-4) to open last week. The Royals responded with three straight wins by a combined 30-9 score. 

That included an impressive 10-4 win at previous No. 18 Eden Prairie (7-4). While it lost by 10 to No. 1 Rosemount (10-0) earlier in the season, Hopkins led for much of the game and was as close to anyone in downing the top dog.

5. Maple Grove (7-1)

Last week’s ranking: 10

This week’s games: May 1 at No. 17 Champlin Park (3-2), May 2 vs. Spring Lake Park (4-5), May 4 at No. 15 Rogers (4-2), May 5 at Delano (4-1)

Ranking rationale: The Crimson went 3-0 last week all against top-25 competition. Based on last week’s ranking, Maple Grove won 6-0 April 25 vs. No. 8 Centennial (4-3), 7-3 April 26 at No. 5 Champlin Park (3-2) and 2-0 vs. No. 14 Blaine (4-2). 

A head-to-head loss vs. Hopkins is keeping Maple Grove from climbing higher. The Crimson are up to three opponent shutouts this season.

6. Brainerd (6-1)

Last week’s ranking: 3

This week’s games: May 2 at Sauk Rapids-Rice (3-3), May 4 at Bemidji (1-5), May 5 at No. 17 Champlin Park (3-2)

Ranking rationale: The Warriors went 4-1 last week and came up a run shy in keeping their undefeated record alive in a 4-3 loss April 25 at St. Cloud (5-2). 

They bounced back to close the week with a solid 4-3 win April 28 vs. previous No. 8 Centennial (4-3). The Cougars were held to seven hits and no triples or home runs.

7. Shakopee (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 9

This week’s games: May 1 doubleheader at Prior Lake (5-4), May 3 at Waconia (4-3), May 5 vs. Eagan (4-3)

Ranking rationale: If not for a 4-3 loss April 19 at Lakeville North (4-4-1), the Sabers would be unblemished. 

They’ve won their fair share of close games, though, with two one-run wins and another by two. It’s best win was a 5-3 victory in the April 14 season opener at Farmington (6-3).

8. Forest Lake (5-2)

Last week’s ranking: 17

This week’s games: May 1 at No. 11 White Bear Lake (5-2), May 2 at Cretin-Derham Hall (5-3), May 3 at Mounds View (1-5), May 4 at No. 18 Centennial (4-3), May 5 at No. 2 Stillwater (8-0)

Ranking rationale: The Rangers aren’t far from being undefeated. They lost back-to-back one-run games and gave No. 2 and undefeated Stillwater its toughest game of the season in a 4-3 loss on April 14. 

Forest Lake is trending up with three straight wins, all last week, by a combined 26-2 margin. That included a 6-2 win against current No. 10 Park of Cottage Grove (6-2). Sami Ernst leads the team with eight RBI and two home runs.

9. St. Michael-Albertville (7-1)

Last week’s ranking: 13

This week’s games: May 1 vs. No. 22 Wayzata (4-2), May 3 vs. Minnetonka (4-4), May 5 at Buffalo (0-6)

Ranking rationale: The Knights are red-hot with seven straight wins after getting blanked in the season opener against a Wayzata squad they get another crack at this week. 

Last week, St. Michael-Albertville went 5-0 with a ranked win coming 5-1 April 24 at current No. 23 Eden Prairie (7-4).

 Erin Hartnett and Kendra Behrens each had two hits with Behrens also earning the win pitching six innings with six strikeouts.

10. Park of Cottage Grove (6-2)

Last week’s ranking: 19

This week’s games: May 1 at Mounds View (1-5), May 2 vs. No. 11 White Bear Lake (5-2), May 3 at Woodbury (1-7), May 4 vs. Mounds View (1-5), May 5 vs. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-3)

Ranking rationale: Both of Park’s losses are to top-25 teams Eden Prairie and Forest Lake. Good wins are piling up as the Wolfpack split with Forest Lake, won at a top-half Suburban East Conference team in Cretin-Derham Hall and on April 29 won 4-1 at Class 3A state title contender and previous No. 6 in the top-25, Winona (8-1). 

There’s lots of volatility in this week’s top-25, including with Park, as there’s now enough data this season to work with instead of program reputation and past results. That helps explain the nine-spot leap.

11. White Bear Lake (5-2)

Last week’s ranking: 15

This week’s games: May 1 vs. No. 8 Forest Lake (5-2), May 2 at No. 10 Park of Cottage Grove (6-2), May 3 at East Ridge (2-5), May 5 vs. Roseville (0-5).

Ranking rationale: The Bears’ 0-2 start to the season doesn’t look so bad in hindsight. Both came by 3-0 scores on the road against current No. 2 Stillwater (8-0) and No. 8 Forest Lake (5-2). Since then, the bats have heated up and White Bear Lake is outscoring opponents 35-1. 

Wichita State commit senior Chloe Barber has been masterful. In 43 of the team’s 46 innings, she owns a .49 ERA with 90 strikeouts and 10 walks. Sister and catcher, Heidi, is tops among Bears with five or more at-bats with a .476 average and 13 RBI. 

The Bears have yet to pick up a top-25 win yet, but they’re doing what they’re supposed to before the schedule picks back up.

Photo by Jon Namyst

12. Winona (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 6

This week’s games: May 2 doubleheader at Red Wing (3-7), May 4 vs. Northfield (6-3), May 5 doubleheader vs. No. 13 Mankato East (7-1)

Ranking rationale: The Winhawks take a bit of a drop this week after losing their first game of the season by a 4-1 final April 29 vs. previous No. 19 Park of Cottage Grove (6-2). 

The Wolfpack scored more runs than the three Winona allowed in the previous seven games combined. It was still a 4-1 week for Winona, which included nice road wins over top-half Big 9 Conference teams Rochester Mayo (6-3) and Owatonna (5-2).

13. Mankato East (7-1)

Last week’s ranking: 11

This week’s games: May 2 at Austin (0-10), May 4 vs. Owatonna (5-2), May 5 doubleheader at No. 12 Winona (8-1)

Ranking rationale: The Cougars are on a six-game win streak and went 3-0 last week. The competition wasn’t elite, but a 12-3 win at New Ulm (4-2) on April 27 stands out. Kylinn Stangl, Jayda Swalve and Carlie Wendinger each had three hits as Mankato East slugged 13 of them in the win. 

The Cougars may still be lamenting a surprise early-season loss to Le Sueur-Henderson (5-3), but a top-25 win against rival and current No. 14 Mankato West (7-1) has balanced it out.

14. Mankato West (7-1)

Last week’s ranking: 12

This week’s games: May 1 vs. Austin (0-10), May 2 at No. 4 Hopkins (5-2), May 4 at Red Wing (3-7), May 6 vs. No. 1 Rosemount (10-0)

Ranking rationale: Mankato West responded to a one-run loss to rival and No. 13 Mankato East (7-1) on April 19 with a 3-0 week last week. 

They blew out Jordan (2-7) and Faribault (1-8) before pulling out a 3-1 win April 27 against a tough Owatonna team (5-2). The Scarlets are outscoring opponents 73-15.

They’ll have a chance to make a big leap in the rankings if they can derail Rosemount’s perfect season.

15. Rogers (4-2)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 1 at St. Cloud (5-2), May 2 at Buffalo (0-6), May 4 vs. No. 5 Maple Grove (7-1), May 5 at Chanhassen (2-3)

Ranking rationale: There are a lot of good teams in the Northwest Suburban Conference. That includes Rogers, which is on a three-game win streak and is in second place alone in the standings. 

Last week, the Royals earned their best win of the season by a 12-8 score April 25 at current No. 16 Andover (5-2). Lauren Freeberg and Kemmi Messer each had three hits for half of the team’s 12. 

It was a wild game where Rogers led 7-0, trailed 8-7 then scored the final five runs of the game in the top of the seventh inning.

16. Andover (5-2)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 2 vs. No. 19 Blaine (4-2), May 4 at Coon Rapids (0-5), May 5 vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong (3-3), May 6 at Andover tournament

Ranking rationale: It’s been a bit of an up and down season for the Huskies, but they’re in the top 25 for the first time this season after ousting previous No. 5 Champlin Park (3-2) 2-1 April 27 at home. 

Adalyn Farber went 2-for-2 with a walk and RBI and Maia Johnson went 2-for-3 with a run, walk and double. Kaelyn Polzin pitched a complete game three-hitter. 

Andover doesn’t have a bad loss losing by one at current No. 5 Maple Grove (7-1) as well as to No. 15 Rogers (4-2).

17. Champlin Park (3-2)

Last week’s ranking: 5

This week’s games: May 1 at Anoka (2-2), May 2 at Osseo (2-6), May 4 vs. Elk River (2-4), May 5 vs. No. 6 Brainerd (6-1), May 6 at Andover tournament

Ranking rationale: The Rebels take a dip in the ranking this week after a 1-2 record last week. 

They shouldn’t hang their heads too much, though, as the losses came 7-3 April 26 vs. current No. 5 Maple Grove (7-1) and 2-1 April 27 at No. 16 Andover (5-2). 

Champlin Park did open the season 3-0 with two road wins. Amanda Kotsmith leads the Rebels with four RBI.

18. Centennial (4-3)

Last week’s ranking: 8

This week’s games: May 2 vs. Elk River (2-4), May 4 vs. No. 8 Forest Lake (5-2), May 5 vs. Coon Rapids (0-5)

Ranking rationale: Centennial has played one of the toughest schedules in the state thus far with five of their seven opponents to date appearing in this week’s top 25. 

The Cougars have handled it fairly well, picking up good wins at No. 15 Rogers (4-2) and No. 19 Blaine (4-2). Centennial’s losses are all defensible, one coming by two vs. No. 17 Champlin Park (3-2) to open the season indoors. 

Not much went right in a 6-0 loss April 25 at No. 5 Maple Grove (7-1), but the Cougars hung tough with defending Class 4A runner up and No. 6 Brainerd (6-1) in a 4-3 loss. 

Jordan Lemire leads the team with a .333 average and seven RBI. Riley O’Connell leads the team with a 1.81 ERA in 38 ⅔ innings with 42 strikeouts.

19. Blaine (4-2)

Last week’s ranking: 14

This week’s games: May 1 vs. Spring Lake Park (4-5), May 2 vs. No. 16 Andover (5-2), May 5 at Anoka (2-2)

Ranking rationale: Blaine is one of the many good teams that create a logjam in the Northwest Suburban Conference standings. No. 5 Maple Grove is unbeaten in the NSC, but all but one (Rogers) of the 12 of the remaining teams have two or more conference losses. 

Speaking of Maple Grove (7-1 overall), Blaine gave the Crimson one of the toughest tests of the season as Maple Grove squeaked out a 2-0 home victory on April 27. Emma Edwards allowed one earned run with a walk and three strikeouts. 

She also walked in three plate appearances. It was still a 2-1 week for Blaine with a 10-0 win April 26 at Totino-Grace (0-6) and 5-3 win April 29 vs. Edina (3-4).

20. New Prague (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 2 vs. Chanhassen (2-3), May 4 at Benilde-St. Margaret’s (1-4), May 5 at Northfield (6-3)

Ranking rationale: The Trojans enter the top 25 thanks in part to a 2-0 week. The highlight was a 10-3 victory April 24 at previous No. 7 Bloomington Jefferson (4-1). 

The Jaguars were limited to seven hits and just one extra-base hit, a double. A 2-1 loss earlier in the season at Jordan (2-7) is glaring, but a bounceback win by the same score the next day at previous No. 23 Chaska (3-2) helps the resume.

21. Bloomington Jefferson (4-1)

Last week’s ranking: 7

This week’s games: May 2 vs. Waconia (4-3), May 4 vs. Chanhassen (2-3), May 5 vs. Spring Lake Park (4-5), May 6 vs. Richfield (3-2)

Ranking rationale: It was a gargantuan task for Bloomington Jefferson to stay undefeated all season, but the Jaguars were hoping to be a bit more competitive when their first loss came. 

On April 24, they fell 10-3 at home vs. New Prague (5-1), which jumps from unranked to 20 in this week’s top 25. Jefferson showed resilience by slamming a preseason top-25 team, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (1-4) 16-4 in five innings. Hannah Bock, Aaliyah Lawrence and Sophie Rouland each had three hits as part of 18 for the team. Bock and Jackie Larsen homered. 

Maria Torp got the win and allowed just two earned runs. A 14-spot drop seems drastic, but with so few games to work off of in previous weeks for teams around the state, a lot of volatility is to be expected in the top 25 until teams settle into their seasons.

22. Wayzata (5-2)

Last week’s ranking: 25

This week’s games: May 1 at No. 9 St. Michael-Albertville (7-1), May 2 vs. No. 23 Eden Prairie (7-4), May 3 at Buffalo (0-6), May 5 vs. Edina (3-4), May 6 at Eagan tournament

Ranking rationale: The Trojans went 2-1 last week with some tight wins and a wild loss. A 5-4 win April 26 vs. Minnetonka (4-4) and 7-5 win April 29 vs. Osseo (2-6) sandwiched one of the highest scoring games the state’s seen this season, a 21-15 loss at Edina (3-4). 

The Trojans’ only other loss was at current No. 5 Maple Grove (7-1), so this is the first surprising defeat. A 2-0 win to open the season at No. 9 St. Michael-Albertville (7-1) has aged well with the Knights on a seven-game win streak.

23. Eden Prairie (7-4)

Last week’s ranking: 18

This week’s games: May 1 vs. Minnetonka (4-4), May 2 at No. 22 Wayzata (4-2), May 3 vs. Edina (3-4), May 4 at No. 4 Hopkins (5-2)

Ranking rationale: The Eagles have been one of the busiest teams in Minnesota. While some northern teams have only hit the diamond a few times, Eden Prairie’s nearing a dozen games played. It’s handled a tough schedule fairly well. 

In six games against teams currently or previously in the top 25, the Eagles are 2-4. They’ve been a bit up and down overall, starting 3-0, losing three of the next four, winning three more in a row, then losing in their last outing, 5-2 vs. North St. Paul (8-0), which jumped from outside the top 25 to No. 3. 

They went 3-3 last week with losses coming 5-1 April 24 vs. current No. 9 St. Michael-Albertville (7-1), 10-4 April 25 vs. No. 4 Hopkins (5-2) and North St. Paul. Wins came 14-12 April 26 at Buffalo (0-6), 9-6 April 27 vs. Eastview (4-6) and 10-4 vs. a solid Class 2A team, Le Sueur-Henderson (5-3).

24. St. Anthony Village (3-1)

Last week’s ranking: 21

This week’s games: May 2 at Visitation (2-2), May 3 vs. Byron (7-2), May 4 at Columbia Heights/Fridley (2-4), May 6 vs. St. Paul Central (2-4), May 6 at Randolph (5-0)

Ranking rationale: A 5-4 loss at Benilde-St. Margaret’s in the season opener didn’t look too bad at the time as it pitted two 2022 Class 3A state tournament teams, but the Red Knights aren’t helping the Huskies’ resume with four straight losses since. 

St. Anthony Village has gone in the opposite direction, winning three in a row by a combined 32-4 score. All are against teams with winning records, including a Holy Angels (6-1) squad in consideration of a top-25 ranking.

25. St. Charles (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: May 2 at Rushford-Peterson (1-6), May 4 at Dover-Eyota (3-1), May 5 at Mounds Park Academy (3-0), May 6 at Minnehaha Academy (3-4)

Ranking rationale: It takes a lot for a Class 2A team to crack the statewide top 25, but what the Saints are doing is truly remarkable. St. Charles is 9-0. 

Impressive, but not unheard of for a team to make it to May undefeated. What really stands out is the zero in the runs allowed column. The Saints are outscoring opponents 82-0. Five wins have ended by mercy rule in the fifth or sixth inning. 

Aside from Dover-Eyota hanging within 2-0, no one’s hung closer than seven runs. Brianna Koeppel has pitched all 55 innings with 83 strikeouts and four walks. St. Charles’ only top-25 matchup comes in the last game of the regular season May 19 at current No. 12 Winona (8-1). 

An opponent will likely scratch a run across by then, but the Saints could still have a goose egg in the loss column when that anticipated matchup rolls around.