The Becker Bulldog girls softball team split two games this week and are now in a three-way tie for first place in the Granite Ridge Conference with Cathedral and Albany.
Cathedral 3, Becker 2
The Bulldogs traveled to St. Cloud Tuesday and lost a one-run game in extra innings to Cathedral.
The game featured a pitchers' duel through the first five innings as neither team was able to scratch across a run. In the top of the fifth, Ellie Schwartz got the ‘Dawgs on the board with a solo home run, her fifth of the season. Sydney Lamott followed with a single and after a Corrie Weise walk, Brianna Corey brought Lamott home with a single to make the score 2-0.
The Crusaders answered in the bottom of the inning by scoring two runs.
After a scoreless seventh inning, the teams headed to extra innings. Becker went one-two-three in the top of the eighth.
In the bottom of the inning, Becker got two quick outs it looked like the game was headed for the ninth. However, a two-out single followed by a passed ball and another single brought home the winning run.
Schwartz and Lamott each had two hits and Corey took the loss despite pitching all eight innings and allowing only six hits and one walk while striking out nine.
Becker 3, Zimmerman 2
Thursday, Becker returned home to take on Zimmerman on a warm, sunny afternoon.
The Thunder got on the board first with two runs in the top of the second inning and held the 2-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth.
Corey drew a one-out walk and two batters later, came all the way around from first to score on a Brinley Zoller double to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs converted on a two-out rally when Corey reached base on a single and once again raced around the bases to score from first on a Kaylyn Wiehle double to tie the game.
After Corrie Weise shut down the Thunder for the fifth straight inning in the top of the seventh, The Bulldogs were poised to capture the win. Haley Benda came to the plate and reached first on a hit by pitch. Payton Bernstrom came on to run for Benda and advanced to second on a Tina Martell sacrifice bunt. Megan Hoppe became the hero as she drilled a line drive just over the outstretched arm of the Zimmerman second baseman and Bernstrom raced home with the winning run.
Hoppe led the team with two hits on the day and Weise picked up the win, going all seven innings and allowing seven hits, no walks while striking out 11.
Up Next
Becker will take on Albany Thursday night as part of our Cancer Awareness Night and a battle for first place in the conference. Game time is 5 p.m. and Coach Jason Baune and his girls would love to see a huge crowd!
“We are in the midst of a 10-day homestand and we'd love to see some big crowds this upcoming week,” Baune said.
Saturday is Becker’s 24th annual Becker Invitational with eight of the top teams competing from the area and all around the state. Games are at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m.
