The Becker Bulldog softball team had a busy week, going 2-1 on the field and also honoring the seven seniors on the roster.
Bluejackets
Last Thursday, the team traveled to Cambridge to take on the Bluejackets and came away with a 13-1 victory in five innings.
Kurstyn Patnode put the Bulldogs on the board with a solo home run in the top of the first for a quick 1-0 lead that would last until the top of the fourth inning when the game opened up in favor of Becker.
Cadence Koste had a 2-RBI single in the inning and Patnode followed with her second home run of the night, this time a two-run shot. The Bluejackets scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning to make it 7-1, but Becker answered with six more runs in the top of the fifth to end the game on the run rule.
Jenna Kringler and Levi Roske each had rbi singles in the fifth inning, while Emma Eickhoff made quick work of the Bluejackets in the bottom of the inning to finish things off.
Koste and Patnode each had three hits in the game, while Maddie Shermand added two. Eickhoff picked up the win, going the distance and giving up one unearned run on four hits, while walking two and striking out seven.
Lightning Loss
On Saturday, Becker was back home to take on metro powerhouse Eastview. Becker started fast when Brooke Hendrickson launched a two-run triple in the bottom of the 1st to give Becker a 2-0 lead before the Lightning would take advantage of a couple of Bulldog errors to score two and tie the game in the top of the second. Eastview added another run in the third and two runs in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead. Despite threatening numerous times, the Bulldogs were unable to plate another run and the final was 5-2.
Koste and Eickhoff each had three hits in the game, while Eickhoff took the loss in the circle going 3-1/3 innings and allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits. Patnode pitched in relief and went the final 3-2/3.
Saints
Tuesday, the Bulldogs hosted St. Francis for a Senior Night game and came away with an impressive 9-2 victory. Becker jumped ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first when Eickhoff doubled and pinch runner Ellie Galllus scored on a Koste single.
The Fighting Saints answered with an unearned run in the top of the second to tie the game, but Becker responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1. Levi Roske and Krista Paulson each drove in a run in the inning. Becker pushed the score to 4-1 in the third inning when Hannah Bartlett doubled and scored on a Hendrickson single.
After St. Francis homered to pull within two runs, the Bulldogs blew the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Koste, Bartlett, Hendrickson, and Kringler all drove in runs in the inning.
All nine starters had at least one hit in the game for the Bulldogs, while Eickhoff picked up the win in the circle going all seven innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits. She struck out 12 and didn’t walk a batter.
After the game, the Bulldogs honored the seven seniors on the team: Levi Roske, Kyla Henkemeyer, Brooke Hendrickson, Krista Paulson, Ashlyn Croal, Jenna Kringler, and Emma Eickhoff.
“The seniors lived up to the softball program’s mantra of “building champions” as they are great softball players, excellent students in the classroom, and wonderful members of the community,” Coach Jason Baune said.
Each of the seniors was presented a gift from an underclass player, who then spoke to each senior’s value to the softball team.
With Tuesday’s win, the Bulldogs are now 11-6 overall and 9-3 in the M 8 Conference. The team will wrap up the regular season over the next week, as they played against Chisago Lakes on Thursday and travel to St. Francis for a rematch with the Saints on Tuesday.
Thursday will bring a trip to Maple Grove to face another metro powerhouse in the Crimson.
