The Becker Bulldog softball team had a great week — going 3-0 against M8 Conference competition — including a win over the Big Lake Hornets, 5-4.

Tuesday night, Becker hosted 1st place Big Lake in a conference battle and found themselves in an early hole as the Hornets posted 2 runs in the top of the 1st to take the lead.  However, Becker put a run back on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning when Makenna Zerwas walked with the bases loaded.  

Big Lake extended the lead to 3-1 in the top of the 3rd before the Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom of the inning as Krista Paulson hit an rbi single to score Brooke Hendrickson. Two batters later, Emma Eickhoff singled to score both Jenna Kringler and Paulson to give Becker a 4-3 lead.  

The two teams then played three scoreless innings before the Hornets plated an unearned run in the top of the 7th inning to tie the game at 4.  In the bottom of the inning, Becker’s Kurstyn Patnode led off with a double and two batters later Cadence Koste nailed a base hit to score Patnode and give Becker the 5-4 win.

Patnode picked up the win in the circle for the Bulldogs, going all 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits, walking 1 batter and striking out 7.  There hitters — Paulson, Eickhoff, and Koste — each had 2 hits on the night.

Magic

Last Thursday, Becker traveled to Monticello and came away with a 14-12 win in a wild game.  The Magic took an early 2-0 lead with two runs in the bottom of the 2nd before Becker answered back with 4 runs in the top of the 3rd.  Brooke Hendrickson and Cadence Koste each drove in runs in the inning.  However, the Magic answered back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the score at 4.  

Patnode hit a two-run home run in the top of the 4th to grab the lead back at 6-4 for the Bulldogs before a Magic home run in the bottom of the inning narrowed Becker’s lead to 6-5.  

The Bulldogs opened the game up with 6 runs in the top of the 5th, as Hendrickson drove in 2 more runs with a double and Patnode hit her 2nd home run of the night, this time a 3-run shot that made the score 12-5.  

The Magic notched a run in the bottom of the 5th and two more in the 6th to make it a 12-8 Becker lead until the Magic were able to rally for 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th to tie the score at 12.  

Extra innings ensued and this is when Coach Jason Baune felt his team’s character made the difference.

“We showed some resilience and come back with 2 runs in the top of the 8th,” Baune said.  “Hannah Bartlett and Hendrickson each singled and drove in a run in the inning.”

The Magic were able to get two runners on base in the bottom of the 8th, but Patnode shut the door to hold on to the 14-12 win.

Maddie Sherman took the start and pitched 3 2/3 innings before Patnode picked up the win in relief going 4 1/3.  Patnode was also a leader offensively, going 4-for-4 with 2 home runs and 5 rbi, while Zerwas and Hendrickson each had 3 hits with Hendrickson also driving in 5 runs.

Tigers

On Monday night, Becker took on Princeton and won 10-0 in 6 innings.  

Emma Eickhoff returned to the mound after 4 weeks rehabbing a serious knee injury that she suffered in the first game of the season and Coach Baune was pleased with her effort.  

“She didn’t miss a beat as she threw her first varsity no-hitter,” Baune said.

Koste provided the offensive fireworks in the first inning as she hit a 2-run homer and then Eickhoff helped her own cause as she hit her own 2-run homer.  

“We got 4 more in the 4th inning, including doubles off the bat of Maddie Sherman and Brooke Hendrickson,” Baune said.  “We closed out the run-rule victory in the 6th as Ashlyn Croal singled and scored, and pinch-runner Jada Soltau came into score on a Hannah Bartlett single.”

Eickhoff went all 6 innings and allowed only a single baserunner on a walk, while she, Bartlett and Koste, each had 2 hits on the night.

Becker’s record now stands at 9-5 overall, 7-3 in the conference.  

According to Baune, his team has “a bunch of fun home games coming up in the next week.”

On Saturday, Becker hosts Eastview at 11:00 am for Parent’s Day.  Tuesday, the team hosts St. Francis at 5:00 for Senior Day and on Thursday Chisago Lakes comes to town for Strikeout Cancer Night.  

“That night we will be fundraising to support the family of a Becker kindergarten student battling lymphoma,” Baune said.