The Becker softball team won its opening section contest last week with a 5-3 win over Monticello, while Coach Jason Baune also announced that three of his players earned a berth in the All Star Series.
In last Thursday’s section win over the Magic, the Bulldogs struck first with some great two-out hitting in the bottom of the first.
After the first two Bulldog hitters were retired, Hannah Bartlett singled and Nevaeh Gardner followed with a walk. That brought up Evelyn Kreft, who hit a missile over the fence in left center field for a 3-0 lead. Kurstyn Patnode was dominant on the mound, as she continued to mow down the Magic batters and the score remained 3-0 until the bottom of the fourth.
Jackie Neumann reached on a Magic error, Allie Duncombe followed with a walk and Kennedy Drehmel singled to drive in Neumann, making the score 4-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Maddie Sherman added what turned out to be an important insurance run with a solo home run to lead off the inning. After a quick sixth inning, the Magic rallied in the top of the seventh. Two walks, three singles and a Bulldog error allowed three runs to score and put runners at second and third with two-outs, but a ground out to Norah Fitzpatrick ended the rally and gave Becker the 5-3 win.
Kreft and Bartlett led Becker at the plate with two hits each, while Patnode picked up the win going all seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits. She walked four and struck out nine.
With the win, Becker advanced to the winner’s bracket final against St. Francis at noon on Wednesday.
All Stars
Baune also announced this week that three of his players had been selected among 88 seniors from across Minnesota to play in the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Star Series on Sunday, June 11th in Mankato.
“Kurstyn Patnode, Hannah Bartlett and Nevaeh Gardner were each selected by the Coaches Association to play and another senior, Maddie Sherman, would have likely been selected as well, but is unable to attend due to college orientation,” Baune said.
Patnode has started for the Bulldogs since eighth grade, and was a part of the 2019 team that finished fourth in state. She played a key role in the 2021 state championship team, including hitting the winning home run in the state quarterfinals and a 3-run homer in the 7th inning of the state championship game.
She plans to attend MSU-Mankato in their dental hygiene program, and play softball.
Bartlett has been a three-year starter for the Bulldogs at first base, including on the 2021 state championship team.
Hannah is a senior captain on this year’s team and plans to attend MSU-Mankato to major in elementary education.
Gardner is a two-year starter for the Bulldogs and provides great power in the heart of the lineup as she leads the Bulldogs with five home runs this year after hitting three as a junior.
She is a senior captain this year and plans to attend the University of North Dakota as a part of their aviation program.
All three Bulldog seniors will attend the MFCA Hall of Fame/All-Star Banquet on the morning of June 11th before heading to Caswell Park to play two games in the All-Star Series in the afternoon.
