Norse Softball Wins; Finishes 2-2 At Tournament
This story was written by Mike Pankow, Bay College SID ROSEMOUNT, MN - The Bay Norse Softball Team (10-4) finished their weekend in the Region 13 Early Bird Tournament with a 12-3 victory over the Lake Region State Royals (5-12) on Saturday afternoon. Bay would score early and often, tallying three runs in the first. Kaitlyn Hardwick (FR, Gladstone, MI) got it going with an RBI single with one out. Bay would continue to add to their lead throughout. Eve LaFleche (FR, Hillman, MI) and Claire McInerney (FR, Escanaba, MI) hit RBI doubles in the third. Lauren LaJoie (FR, Sault Ste. Marie, MI) singled in a run in the fifth, and Saunders would end the game on another double, this one would send two to the plate. Rhiley Hubert (SO, Rapid River, MI) picked up the win, pitching a complete game. She would give up six hits, two walks, and just one earned run. Saunders ended the game three for four with four RBI and two doubles. McInerney ended with two hits in three at bats, and was credited with two runs, one RBI, and a double. LaFleche would hit two doubles in three at bats. She would score twice and drive in one run. Tehani Yamamoto (FR, Kaunakakai, HI) collected two hits, one of which was a double, in three at bats for the Royals. Alysha Moser (SO, Devils Lake, ND) homered in the fifth.
GAME 1 - BAY COLLEGE 12, LAKE REGION STATE - 3 A big fourth inning would power the Norse past Lake Region State. Trailing 3-2 heading into the top of the fourth, Aubree Saunders (SO, Escanaba, MI) would blast a two-run homerun to center field to give Bay the lead. Jerricka McAlpine (FR, Escanaba, MI) doubled in the sixth to drive in an insurance run. The Norse would hit three homeruns in the matchup. Maddy Griffin (FR, Escanaba, MI) got the scoring started for Bay in the second with a solo shot to center. Rhiley Hubert (SO, Rapid River, MI) earned the win, pitching all five innings, giving up five hits, and walking three, while striking out two and giving up just one earned run. McAlpine finished two for two, with three runs scored, two RBI, a double, and a walk. Samantha Shumway (FR, Cove, UT) went two for three with a run scored and a triple for Lake Region State. GAME 2 - DAWSON CC - 10, BAY COLLEGE - 2 Bay College took advantage of a walk and an error in the top of the first to grab an early lead, but the Buccaneers would turn the tables quickly. An RBI double by Maycen O'Neal (FR, Brigham, UT) in the bottom of the second would tie the game. The Norse were set up for a big inning in the fifth. Bruntjens and McInerney singled to lead off the inning, and Hardwick walked to load the bases with no one out. Vandeville singled on a ball up the middle to bring Bruntjens home, but Dawson would slam the door on the Bay rally. A strikeout, a shallow pop fly, and a ground ball would end the inning and the threat. Dawson would seal the victory in the fifth, taking advantage of an error, three walks, and a single to add two runs. Shelby Martin (FR, Helena, MT) was credited with the win, scattering five hits and walking four, while striking out six and giving up just one earned run. O'Neal ended two for two with a run scored, an RBI, and the aforementioned double. Winling took the loss for Bay, despite just two of her runs being earned in four innings of work. She walked just one, struck out one, and gave up six hits. Bruntjens collected two hits in three at bats. The Norse wrap up their appearance in the tournament Saturday afternoon with a rematch against Lake Region State. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.
Dawson would get on the board first, drawing a walk to lead off the game. After a stolen base and a wild pitch, the Buccaneers would plate the first run of the game with a ground out. Bay would answer back in the bottom half of the second.
The Norse caught a break of their own in the fifth as Bruntjens would reach on a one-out error. After stealing second and setting herself up in scoring position, Kaitlyn Hardwick (FR, Gladstone, MI) drove her in with a fly ball double to right, reclaiming the lead for the Norse. The lead would be short-lived however, as Ashlyn Tingey (FR, Brigham City, UT) drove a ball over the fence left tying the game with a solo homerun. Shelby Martin (FR, Helena, MT) would pick up the win for her effort. She pitched all seven innings, striking out 12, while giving up seven hits and two walks. Just one of her four runs were earned. Lexi Winling (FR, Gladstone, MI) took the loss for the Norse, also going seven innings and giving up seven hits and three walks. She struck out four batters. Three of her five runs were earned. Hadley Bennett (FR, Warren, UT) ended the game two for four with an RBI. Tingey was two for three, with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI from that big home run. No Bay hitters were able to collect multiple hits in the game. The Norse will look to bounce back tomorrow as they take on Lake Region State at 11 am. They then get a rematch with this Dawson team at 1 pm. Both of those games will take place in Rosemount, MN. |