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Elite Teams Prior Lake, Forest Lake collide in playoff primer

By Nick Gerhardt, 05/17/17, 11:00AM CDT

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Prior Lake and Forest Lake have two of the most difficult paths to the Class 4A state tournament, with each playing in loaded sections that include several teams ranked in the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association poll.

To prepare for the challenging brackets, the Lakers and Rangers scheduled a matchup for the regular-season finale, and both hope for a positive result before heading into their respective sections.

Prior Lake (15-2, 12-1) will be itching for the postseason after already winning the South Suburban Conference title, but getting through Class 4A, Section 2 unscathed won't be easy for the No. 3 Lakers, who will battle No. 1 Chanhassen and Bloomington Jefferson -- the team that recently handed the top-ranked Storm their first loss of the season -- for a state tournament bid.

Forest Lake (14-4, 11-4) won the Class 4A, Section 7 title with a 1-0 victory over Anoka a year ago, but the No. 3 Rangers can't rest on their laurels, not with the No. 2 Tornadoes and No. 9 Blaine competing in the bracket.This meeting between two teams poised to make a run at a state tournament berth makes it our pick for the Top Game of the Week. 

​​​​​​​Scheduled

Forest Lake vs. Prior Lake
7 p.m., Friday, May 19


Prior Lake met every challenge it faced in the South Suburban Conference this season, but its has a 1-2 recorded against ranked teams. The Lakers will get another opportunity to test their mettle against one of the state's best when hosting Forest Lake on Friday.

Prior Lake is on a four-game winning streak in which it has surrendered two or fewer runs in each contest. Kailey Ahlstrom has piled up 134 strikeouts and owns a tidy 1.07 ERA over 85 1/3 innings pitched. She also has given up just two walks. Batterymate Abby Sagert has a team-high .472 batting average and 23 RBI.

The Rangers are on a five-game winning streak following a rough stretch that saw them consecutive decisions to No. 7-4A Woodbury (5-2 on April 29), No. 10-4A Stillwater (7-6 on May 3) and No. 6-4A Park of Cottage Grove (2-0 on May 4). The Rangers enter the week having outscored Cretin-Derham Hall 22-3 to sweep a doubleheader.

Mia Schmidtke has gone 8-for-16 with eight RBI and five runs in the last five games for the Rangers, while pitcher Megan Baniecke has struck out 82, walked 22 and has a 2.15 ERA in 58 2/3 innings.

Forest Lake defeated Prior Lake 5-4 a year ago.