There was a common sentiment around the softball fields Saturday in Mapleton as steady rains began to descend upon southern Minnesota: “At least we got the games in.”

At this point, most area teams have grown accustomed to the dreary, raw conditions of spring 2008.

“It was cold and rainy,” said Le Sueur-Henderson head coach Eric Lewis, whose team was one of six competing in the round-robin Maple River Classic. “But we’re gotten used to it this spring.”

Maple River head coach Jerry Thul said the weather has often been unkind to the Maple River Classic in its 24-year history.

“We usually get the tournament in every other year because of rain,” he said. “But every game (this year), the weather has been crap. And then you practice, and it’s 70 degrees.”

Maple River, St. James and St. Paul Academy each finished the three-game tournament with a 2-1 record. St. James started the tournament with a 4-3 win over LSH and a 6-5 victory over Minnesota Valley Lutheran.

In Saturday’s final game, Dover-Eyota prevented St. James from departing soggy Mapleton with three wins in a 9-4 defeat. Maple River’s often-stout defense committed five errors in its 5-2 Game 1 loss to St. Paul Academy. The Eagles, backed by pitcher Jessica Alleven’s 12 strikeouts and Morgan Stock‘s three hits, recovered to shut out LSH 9-0 in Game 2.

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