CARRINGTON (NewsDakota)- Maybe this is just how it’s meant to be for Carrington softball, and fans would be well-served to just accept the mayhem.

Once again the Cardinals fell behind early, and once again the team rallied, this time using a nine-run fourth inning to defeat the Nelson County/Midkota Chargers 13-10 on Monday afternoon and clinch a home regional qualifier for the first time in program history in the process.

It started well for the Chargers (8-3, 4-3 Region 2B), as they scored three runs in the first thanks to a two base throwing error and an RBI double by Ella Lundeby.  But Calleigh Hewitt hit an SUV parked beyond the center field wall in the home half for her eleventh career home run and it was 3-1 after an inning.  In the second, the teams matched runs with Maara Kutz crushing her first home run of the season and it was 4-3 NC/Midkota.  The Chargers added four without a hit in the third inning thanks to two walks, a strikeout-passed ball and two errors to take an 8-3 lead into the bottom of the fourth.

And that is when Carrington (5-3, 3-0 Region 2B) flipped the game on its’ head, sending fifteen to the plate and scoring nine times on five hits, including a two-run single by Brina Wolsky and two RBI each from Kenedy Trostad, Ella Volk, and two runs each from Kutz and Kambry Linderman for a 12-8 lead.  Hewitt got the win in relief, allowing just four hits and one earned run in four innings of work in relief of Kutz, who allowed only eight unearned runs.

Carrington is assured a home regional qualifier on Saturday, May 16th at a time TBD against an opponent TBD.  The Cardinals will next compete in Midseason Madness this weekend, opening with Grand Forks Central Friday at 1pm.