Softball Game Preview: Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets vs. Zimmerman Thunder

The Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets are taking a road trip to square off against the Zimmerman Thunder at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Cambridge-Isanti has six straight victories, Zimmerman has four straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

On Wednesday, Cambridge-Isanti narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Blaine 5-4.

Mackenzie Brooks spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on seven hits and racked up eight Ks.

Clara Rawson

Runs (Career)

04/22/26 @ Blaine	2
04/20/26 vs Chisago Lakes Area	1
04/16/26 vs North Branch	1
04/11/26 @ Rock Ridge co-op [Eveleth-Gilbert/Virginia]	1
05/08/25 vs Chisago Lakes Area	1

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Clara Rawson, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Those two runs gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Melody Traczyk, who went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Meanwhile, Tuesday just wasn't the day for Zimmerman's offense. They came up short against Chisago Lakes Area on Tuesday, falling 13-0. The game marked the first time this year in which the Thunder were not able to get on the board.

Cambridge-Isanti's victory bumped their record up to 7-1. As for Zimmerman, their loss dropped their record down to 2-5.

Zimmerman's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Cambridge-Isanti has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .453. It's a different story for Zimmerman, though, as they've only averaged .313. Will they be able to contain Cambridge-Isanti's hitters?

Cambridge-Isanti got the 'W' in their previous matchup back in May of 2025 against Zimmerman by a conclusive 7-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bluejackets since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.