The Becker Bulldog girls softball team advanced to the state tournament with a huge win over Brainerd Thursday afternoon.

 

Head Coach Jason Baune continues to make a stamp as being one of the state’s best softball coaches as this will be the girls’ second consecutive trip to state and fourth in the last eight years. 

 

“With some experience under our belt from last year, I think we have a very good chance of wining some games in Mankato this year and making a run at the championship game on Friday afternoon,” he said.

 

Becker won three games in the playoffs this week, beating Brainerd twice on Thursday after beating Monticello at home Monday.

 

 

Monday, Becker jumped on the scoreboard first with two runs in the bottom of the second inning when Ellie Schwartz had  a big two-out single to score Megan Hoppe and Lindsey Lorette.  

 

The Magic answered in the third with a solo home run by catcher Laura Wurtinge.  

 

The score stayed there until the bottom of the sixth when the Bulldogs were able to take advantage of some struggles by the Magic pitcher and plate four more runs on walks and a few wild pitches. Baune utilized the girls’ speed on the basepaths to manufacture a few runs and his hitters proved that patience was a virtue as they executed long pitch counts and laid down perfect sacrifices. 

 

Schwartz finished the game 1-for-1 with three RBIs and a precise sacrifice bunt in the crucila sixth inning. 

 

Haley Harmon picked up the win, going the distance and allowing just one Magic hit, while walking three and striking out 12.

 

 

With the win against Monticello, Becker moved forward to take on Brainerd Wednesday in a rematch of last year's section final.  

 

The Bulldogs took advantage of a few Warrior errors early in the game to jump out to a huge lead, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning.  Lindsey Lorette had a big RBI single as part of the inning.  

 

The Warriors answered with a run in the top of the second, but the “Dawgs replied with another run in the bottom of the inning when Payton Williams singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Erika Schwartz, making the score 6-1.

 

Becker added a run in the fourth when Schwartz singled and came around on an Alexa Hanowski single.  

 

Becker’s final tally came in the sixth when Harmon singled and pinch runner Hoppe came in to score on a single by Maddy Mohrman.  

 

Payton Williams was Becker’s leader at the plate, going 4-for-4 and scoring twice.  Harmon again picked up the win by going all seven innings,  scattering eight hits, one walk, while striking out six.  

 

The win moved Becker to the championship round, where they would take on the winner of Alexandria and Brainerd for the right to go to state.  The Warriors were able to defeat the Cardinals 4-3, so that meant Brainerd faced the task of beating Becker twice to advance.

 

 

Thursday's game against Brainerd was the polar opposite of Wednesday’s game.  

 

After a scoreless first inning, the Warriors got on the board first with a run in the second and they continued their aggressiveness in the third inning with six more base hits, including a two-run home run to make the score 5-0 after three innings.

 

“It appeared that we may be headed to a final game on Friday, but we would not go down without a fight,” said Baune.  

 

In the bottom of the fourth, Sam Lorette led off with a single and scored on another single by Erika Schwartz.  Later in the inning, Schwartz scored on a groundout by her sister Ellie to bring the score to 5-2.  

 

The Bulldogs were able to come all the way back and tie the game at five after they added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Hailey Fitzpatrick, Sam Lorette, Erika Schwartz and Haley Harmon had four consecutive base hits and after an error by the centerfielder, the game was all tied up.

 

Brianna Corey, who had come in in relief of Harmon in the third, continued to shut down the Warrior bats in top of the sixth and Becker’s bats stayed hot in the bottom of the inning.  

 

Williams and Fitzpatrick reached on consecutive hits and Sam Lorette drove them both in with a single to take a 7-5 lead.  Lorette later scored on an RBI single by her sister, Lindsey, and Becker headed to the seventh up 8-5. 

 

The Warriors made things interesting by putting two runners on base with two outs, but Corey coaxed a soft grounder to Fitzpatrick for the final out to end the game and send the Bulldogs to state.   

 

Sam Lorette had a great day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs.  Fitzpatrick, Schwartz and Lindsey Lorette each had two hits and  Corey picked up the win in relief of Harmon.  She pitched four-and-1/3 scoreless innings, scattering five hits and a walk while striking out one.

 

“I couldn't be more proud of how the girls fought out of a big hole on Thursday night,” said Baune.  “It showed a lot of heart and determination and was an incredible team effort.  Brianna's ability to come in and shut down the Brainerd bats was extremely impressive and Sam Lorette called a great game behind the plate while also leading us offensively.”

 

The three wins this week moves Becker’s record to 21-1. They will take on Farmington in the first round of the state tournament at 9 a.m. Thursday morning in Mankato.  Win or lose, their second game will be at 3 p.m. Thursday.  Championship, third place and fifth place games will happen Friday at Caswell Park.

 

Harmon has been named to the senior all-star game as well as Samantha Lorette.  Lorette was added after another player had to back out due to injury.