This past weekend, April 2 & 3, the Anoka-Ramsey Golden Rams traveled to Rochester to compete in the MCAC Crossover and came away with a perfect 4-0 record.
On Friday, April 2, the Golden Rams beat Riverland 14-9 and RCTC 8-7. Then on Saturday, April 3, the team defeated Riverland 18-3 in 5 innings and Central Lakes 10-8.
In the first game of the Crossover, Anoka-Ramsey fell behind 8-2 after giving up six unearned runs to Riverland in the bottom of the 4th inning. The team responded in their top of the 5th scoring three runs highlighted by Sunny Strait's monster 2-run home run.
The score was 8-5 heading into the top of the 7th when the Golden Rams tied the game with three at-bats. Christina Meyer led off the inning with a solo home run, followed by hits by Brooke Beberg and Kayla McHugo.
With the score tied 8-8 with two outs, Emma Bright hit a triple and scored on a wild pitch to give the Golden Rams the lead. Kenna Packard ripped a double to left center, Madison Segler walked and then Strait hit her second HR of the game scoring three.
The team scored two more runs that were unearned and came away with a 14-9 come from behind win. Having multi-hit games for the Golden Rams were Bright with four hits, Packard and Meyer with three hits apiece, and Strait with twp hits. Strait picked up the win in the circle striking out nine and walking zero.
Game two of the Crossover saw the Golden Rams fall behind RCTC 3-1 after 2.5 innings before the team erupted for six runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning.
Highlights of the inning were Meyer leading off the inning with her 2nd home run of the day, Beberg ripping a double, and Strait hitting her 3rd HR of the day. This big inning put the team up 7-3 after three innings.
RCTC battled back to tie the game 7-7 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning where Anoka-Ramsey's Segler scored on an unearned run to put the team up 8-7 after six.
Strait pitched out of trouble in the 7th inning to seal the win. This was Strait's 2nd win of the day and 3rd overall for the season. Bright, Packard, and Beberg all had two hits for the Golden Rams.
Saturday saw Anoka-Ramsey put up their most runs of the year. The team scored 18 runs on 11 hits and 13 walks. Bright led the way going 4-4 with three runs scored, three stolen bases, and four RBI's. Strait hit another monster home run for the weekend driving in three runs, and Packard hit an inside the park home run driving in three runs as well.
Strait was very sharp in the circle with 9K's, 1BB, 1ER, and only three hits allowed.
The final game of the Crossover was against perennial Northern Division power Central Lakes. The game resembled a heavyweight fight with both teams exchanging blows. Central Lakes took the lead 8-4 heading into the top of the 5th inning when the Golden Rams mounted their third comeback of the weekend.
Packard walked in the top of the 5th, followed by a solid single up the middle by Segler, then with one out Meyer ripped a single to right field scoring one and Emili Waite drove in another run with a base hit.
Heading into the top of the 6th inning, Anoka-Ramsey was down 8-7 with runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs with Strait stepping up to the plate. The Raiders called timeout to discuss pitching around Strait, well the strategy didn't work. Their pitcher made a mistake and Strait hit her 6th HR of the weekend with a tater to left field scoring three to put the team up 10-8.
Central Lakes' final two at bats found the Golden Rams playing great defense to preserve the win! Strait led the way offensively with two more HR's and four RBI's along with Meyer and Waite getting two hits apiece.
Strait picked up the win again after pitching her 4th game in two days.
The Golden Rams are now 5-3 on the season.