The Jackson County Central softball team is finally going back to the State Tournament.

The Huskies persevered to win 7-2 in 14 innings after Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta forced a winner-take-all situation in the Section 3AA Championship. 

The Tigers started the day by rallying to steal the first game 2-1 in eight innings. 

Braelyn Boogerd smacked a triple and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0 JCC in the bottom of the second. The Tigers tied it in the top of the fourth, added the go-ahead run in the eighth, and held on to win. 

Kinley VanDeVere had a pair of hits including a double in that game. Mady Wachal tossed 12 strikeouts and allowed just one earned run with two scored on four hits plus four walks. 

JCC took the first lead in the second game with two runs in the top of the third. Cora Pauling singled aboard and then stole second base before advancing to third and then coming home on a pair of errors to make it 1-0 JCC. Miley VanDeVere hit a double and later scored from third on a fielder’s choice. 

The Tigers tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. 

Both teams threatened multiple times but the defenses kept the next nine innings scoreless. 

Lauren Johnson started the JCC rally in the top of the 14th with a single. Cora Pauling hit a single as well and then the Tigers intentionally walked Miley VanDeVere to load the bases. 

Mady Wachal eventually smacked a two-run single to score Pauling and Miley VanDeVere and make it 4-2 JCC. 

The bases were loaded again when the Tigers intentionally walked Bailey Finck. Braelyn Boogerd plated three runs with a single moments later as Mady Wachal, Finck, and Kinley VanDeVere all scored to make it 7-2 JCC. 

Hadley Wachal struck out the side in the bottom of the 14th for a total of 19 strikeouts and the first Huskies trip to the State Tournament since 2005. 

JCC head coach Morgan Christopher says it barely felt real when the Huskies finally punched their ticket to State after nearly six hours of softball. 

FULL COACH INTERVIEW

Cora Pauling collected four hits and scored twice. Mady Wachal and Braelyn Boogerd each had three hits and batted in three runs. Miley VanDeVere had a pair of hits and scored twice. 

Hadley Wachal pitched all 14 innings of the winner-take-all showdown and surrendered only the two earned runs while scattering 10 hits and dealing four walks.  

JCC also defeated the runner-up Tigers 3-2 in eight innings during the semifinal round. 

The 21-3 Huskies will now begin the Class AA State Tournament on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. inside Caswell Park in North Mankato with seeding to be announced.