“I couldn't be more proud of how this team has grown and learned through a challenging spring,” said Head Coach Jason Baune.  

“The seniors have shown true leadership and the team is looking to peak just as we enter the playoffs.”

 

 

Last Friday, Becker traveled to Esko to take on the #7-ranked Eskimos and lost a tight pitcher’s duel. 

 

The Bulldogs were able to put runners on second and third in the top of the first with one out, but two strikeouts stranded the runners.  

 

The game remained 0-0 until the bottom of the third when two walks and an two-out double gave Esko the 1-0 lead and eventually the win.   

 

Catrina Holm and Corrie Weise combined to pitch a gem.  Holm took the tough loss, going three innings and allowing one run on three hits.  She walked four and struck out six.  

 

Weise pitched the final three innings and allowed a hit and two walks while striking out one.  Ellie Schwartz was 2-for-3 with a double.

 

 

Saturday, the Bulldogs traveled up the road to Hermantown to take on the 2017 state runners-up.   

 

After two scoreless innings, the Bulldog bats came alive in the third when Krista Paulsen led off with a single and scored on a two-run home run by  Weise. 

 

Becker added another run in the top of the fourth when Kaylyn Wiehle led off with a double and scored on a two-out single from Haley Benda.  

 

The Hawks answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to make the score 3-1, but the Bulldogs opened the game up with an impressive three-run fifth. It all started after the first two batters were retired.  Five straight runners reached with two outs, including an RBI double from Schwartz and a two-RBI single from Emily Lamott.  

 

Becker added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh on doubles from Wiehle and Lamott and an RBI single from Payton Bernstrom.  

 

The Hawks added a run in the bottom of the seventh to make the final 8-2. 

 

Weise picked up the win, going all seven innings and allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five.  

 

Wiehle was 3-for-4 with three runs scored.  Paulsen, Weise, Lamott, and Bernstrom each had two hits.

 

 

The Bulldogs returned to conference play Monday by traveling to Milaca.  

 

Becker got on the board with two runs in the top of the first, including a double from Wiehle.  

 

The Wolves responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning on four straight hits.  

 

Becker tied the game at three in the second and after a scoreless third, the Bulldogs blew the game open with 10 runs in the top of the fourth.  

 

Holm got the win by pitching all five innings and allowing three runs on six hits and three walks while striking out nine.  

 

Emily Lamott had three hits.  Avery Tamm, Jaida Johnson, Weise and Wiehle all had two hits in the game.

 

 

Becker returned to home turf Tuesday to take on Mora.  

 

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third when Krista Paulsen led off with a double and scored on a Mustang error.   Later, with runners on second and third, Wiehle laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to score Weise. Becker’s next batter, Emily Lamott, followed suit with another perfectly executed squeeze to score Schwartz and make the score 3-0. 

 

The Mustangs led off the fourth with a double that later came around to score and make it 3-1.  

 

In the fifth, Mora added two more runs on a walk and two doubles to tie the game.  

 

Some clutch hitting in the bottom of the sixth plated three Bulldog runners which held up for a three-run victory.  

 

Weise got the win with seven innings pitched.  She allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out eight.  

 

Paulsen and Schwartz each had three hits while Avery Tamm added two of her own.

 

 

The Bulldogs hosted Albany Thursday in a doubleheader.  Entering the day, Becker and St. Cloud Cathedral each had two conference losses, while Albany was a game behind with three losses.  It was also Senior Night as the softball team honored their six seniors — Ellie Schwartz, Jamie Sommerdorf, Hannah Kolbinger, Payton Bernstrom, Haley Benda and Georgia Thom.

 

 

In game one, Becker got on top in the bottom of the first when Paulsen singled to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a wild pitch.  

 

The Huskies tied the game 1-1 in the top of the fourth on two hits and a walk.  

 

The Bulldogs replied in the bottom of the inning when Wiehle led off with a double, advanced to third on a Lamott bunt, and scored on an RBI groundout from Benda.  

 

After 5-1/3 strong innings from starter Holm, Weise came in to pick up the save and shut down the Huskies the rest of the way.

 

Holm picked up the victory, allowing one run on six hits and two walks while striking out six.  Weise went the final 1-2/3 without allowing a run.  She allowed a walk and a hit while striking out three.

 

 

In game two, the Bulldog bats came to life with three runs in the top of the first including RBIs from Weise, Wiehle and Lamott.

 

The Huskies answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1.  

 

Becker came right back with four runs in the second, including a three-run home run off the bat of Weise.  

 

Four more Bulldog runs in the third made the score 11-1 in favor of the home team.  

 

The Huskies were able to tack on two runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend the game, but that would be it and the final was 11-3.

 

Weise went all seven innings and picked up the win.  She allowed three unearned runs on five hits.  She didn't walk a batter and struck out 14.  

 

Weise, Lamott, and Benda each had three hits. Bernstrom and Wiehle had two hits and Jamie Sommerdorf hit multiple balls hard.

 

 

The Bulldogs traveled to Monticello Friday and then to Zumbrota for two games Saturday against Norwood-Young America (10-2) and the 2017 state champion Zumbrota-Mazeppa Cougars (full report on the games will appear in next week’s Citizen-Tribune).  

 

 

“We would love to have a big crowd for what could be our final home game of the season,” said Baune.

 

The second round of the playoffs will take place  Thursday at the highest remaining seed.