WABASSO — Hosting the reigning Class A state softball champion and preseason No. 1 New Ulm Cathedral for their home opener on Friday, the Wabasso Rabbits started their season in style. After allowing a first-inning run, Aylah Jenniges pitched a complete game while holding Cathedral scoreless for the final six innings to secure a 3-2 Wabasso win.

The win was a bounce-back effort for Wabasso, which lost its season opener against Sleepy Eye 6-4 on March 27. New Ulm Cathedral, meanwhile, falls to 0-2 after also dropping its season opener against Cleveland by a score of 3-2.

With the game tied, Wabasso loaded up the bases with no outs when Kayleigha Johnson and Camryn Irlbeck were hit by pitches and Sara Carlson worked a walk in the fourth inning. Summer Strand earned a walk to force in one run and, after New Ulm swapped Abbey Hillesheim onto the circle for Jayde Altermatt, Peyton Jenniges drew another walk to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Rabbits.

The rally abruptly ended when Audrey Johnson lined out to short and the Rabbits turned a 6-5-4 triple-play.

Cathedral made Wabasso sweat in the final inning when Jaylin Hartness hit a solo home run to start the seventh and bring the Greyhounds back within a run. Madelyn Haala reached base on an error to put the tying run on first and the go-ahead run at the plate with one out. Yet, a fielder’s choice and a strikeout secured the Wabasso victory.

Aylah Jenniges took the circle for Wabasso and pitched the complete game. Over the course of seven innings, she allowed one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts and no walks. The solo home run to Hartness was the only hit Jenniges allowed after the second inning.

New Ulm took the lead in the top of the first when Ava Brennan hit a leadoff single and scored the go-ahead run on an Ava Schmid double. Yet, Irlbeck hit a solo homer on the third pitch of the second inning to even up the score.

Irlbeck’s homer was Wabasso’s lone hit of the day. She was also one of five Rabbits to earn a walk and tied Strand and Jenniges with one RBI.

For the Greyhounds, Jayde Altermatt allowed three earned runs on one hit and three walks over three innings of work in the loss. She also struck out six batters before being relieved by Hillesheim.

Hillesheim held the Rabbits scoreless and hitless over three innings of relief, striking out two batters and walking another pair.

Wabasso will get back on the road again to face off against Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart in a at 4:30 p.m. doubleheader on Monday.

New Ulm Cathedral will go on the road to take on Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.