The Becker Bulldog softball team made it over the .500 mark in the past week despite facing some of the best competition in the state.
Last Thursday, the team traveled to Chisago Lakes to take on the #3 ranked Wildcats and came up a bit short, losing a close game 2-0. Neither team threatened to score until the bottom of the 3rd when the Wildcats’ leadoff hitter reached second base on an error and moved to third on a subsequent bunt.
Another Wildcat bunt, this one a squeeze play, helped the Wildcats score the first run of the game to take the 1-0 lead.
The batters for both teams continued to struggle, even as Becker had runners in scoring position in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings but was unable to bring home the runs with a big hit.
The Wildcats added an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th with back-to-back two-out doubles to make the final 2-0. Brooke Hendrickson led off the 7th with a double for the Bulldogs, but a line drive off the bat of Hannah Bartlett was caught and a couple strikeouts ended the game.
Kurstyn Patnode was the tough luck loser in the circle, as she went all 6 innings and allowed 4 hits with a walk and a strikeout. Brooke Hendrickson and Patnode each had 2 hits for Becker.
Round Robin
On Saturday, Becker hosted their annual Invitational, albeit with a pandemic adjusted schedule that replaced the typical 8 team format with 4 teams playing each other in a round robin format. Becker started off by facing Pequot Lakes and came away with a 7-1 win.
The offense got off to a quick start with 4 runs in the first, as the first 4 batters, Krista Paulson, Patnode, Cadence Koste, and Makenna Zerwas, all reached base. Maddie Sherman added an rbi single in the inning. In the 4th, Levi Roske and Jenna Kringler each scored to make it a 6-0 Bulldog lead. The Patriots scored an unearned run in the 6th, but Becker answered with a run when Kringler singled and scored on a Patnode single to make the final 7-1.
Maddie Sherman picked up the win going all 7 innings and allowing just a single run on 4 hits, while walking one and striking out 9. Nine different Bulldogs had hits in the game, led by Patnode who had 2 hits and a walk.
Spartans
Saturday’s second game was against section rival Rocori and Becker used an offensive explosion to notch a 16-6 win.
After a scoreless 1st, Becker opened the game up with a 5 run 2nd inning, as Sherman and Patnode each had rbi hits in the inning. The score moved to 8-0 as a combination of hits and Spartan errors led to 3 more Bulldog runs in the 3rd. The Spartans put up 3 runs in the bottom of the inning on 3 hits and an error to make the score 8-3. The Bulldogs wasted no time getting those runs back as Koste and Zerwas singled to start the 4th, and Brooke Hendrickson walked to load the bases for Hannah Bartlett, who doubled to score two runs. Four more Bulldog runs in the top of the 5th looked like it might trigger the ten rule rule, but a couple of Bulldog errors allowed Rocori to score 3 in the bottom of the 5th to make the score 15-6 and send it to the 6th inning.
Patnode took matters into her own hands in the 6th inning with a long home run to push the lead back to 10 runs, at 16-6 for the final score.
Patnode got the win in the circle going 5 innings and allowing 6 runs, only 2 of which were earned. Sherman ended the game with a scoreless inning for the Bulldogs, who collected 15 hits — three each by Koste, Hendrickson, and Bartlett.
Irish
The final game of the day was against #2 state ranked Maple Lake and Becker put itself in an early hole with a couple of first inning miscues that led to the Irish taking a 3 run lead en route to a 6-0 win.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Becker put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out when Sherman walked and Ellie Gallus singled, but Maple Lake worked out of the jam with two ground balls and the inning was over.
The Irish added 3 insurance runs in the top of the 7th to make the score 6-0.
Patnode took the loss in the circle going all 7 innings and allowing 6 runs — 4 earned — on 10 hits, while walking one and striking out 5.
Vikings
Tuesday, the Bulldogs traveled to North Branch to face the Vikings in a double header and came away with a split, losing 4-1 in game 1 before picking up a 5-2 win in the nightcap.
In game one, Becker jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Paulson single and Patnode triple before North Branch answered with 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the 2nd to take a 2-1 lead. The Vikings added 2 more in the bottom of the third to make it a 4-1 final. Sherman took the loss, pitching 6 innings and allowing 4 runs, 1 earned, on 7 hits. She walked 2 and struck out 5. Paulson was 2-3 and Patnode was 1-2 with a walk.
In game 2, the Vikings struck early with a run in the top of the 1st, but Becker answered in the bottom of the inning when Paulson led off with a double, Patnode followed with a single and Cadence Koste hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Paulson.
The score remained tied until the 4th when the Vikings loaded the bases with one out. After a run scored, Paulson and Zerwas combined for a great play to get an out at the plate and Brooke Hendrickson made a nice catch to get out of the inning with only 1 run scoring.
In the bottom of the inning, Becker answered with 3 runs. Hendrickson doubled to lead off the inning and Bartlett followed with a double to tie the score at 2. Sherman then hit a sacrifice bunt and the Vikings threw the ball away, allowing Bartlett to score. Sherman would later come in to score on a wild pitch to make it 4-2. Becker added an insurance run in the 6th when Sherman led off with a single and scored on an error to make it 5-2. Patnode allowed only 1 baserunner the final 3 innings and was credited with the victory, going all 7 innings and allowing 2 runs. She walked 2 and struck out 8. Paulson and Patnode each had 2 hits.
With the flurry of games, Becker is now 6-5 overall and 4-3 in the M8 conference.
