Bay College Softball Rallies; Wins Four In Minnesota
These stories were written by Mike Pankow, Bay College SID
The Bay Norse Softball Team (25-7) capped off a four game sweep of the Dakota County Technical College Blue Knights (9-17) on Saturday afternoon. After coming from behind to take a 12-5 decision in the first game, the Norse would shutout their hosts in the nightcap, winning by a final of 3-0.
GAME 1 - BAY COLLEGE - 12, DAKOTA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - 5
The Blue Knights would take an early lead as Daymbre Avalos (FR, Avondale, AZ) launched a two-out home run to right field in the first inning. DCTC would then load the bases in the second, and draw a bases loaded walk, starting a rally. A ground ball, an error, and a passed ball would bring in three more runs. The Blue Knights would get four in the second inning, without recording a base hit, putting them up 5-0.
The Norse would answer back in the third. After getting two runners aboard, a sacrifice fly would put them on the board. Kaitlyn Hardwick (FR, Gladstone, MI) followed that up with a triple to right field to bring in another run. She would score on a sacrifice fly from Richelle Vandeville (FR, Rapid River, MI), cutting the lead to two.
The Norse offense picked up where it left off when they stepped to the plate in the fourth. Emily LaFave (SO, Escanaba, MI) legged out an RBI triple with one out, and would score on Eve LaFleche's (FR, Hillman, MI) single. Emily Bruntjens (SO, Escanaba, MI) doubled to bring in LaFleche, and after a Jerricak McAlpine (SO, Escanaba, MI) would put two on, Hardwick would belt the fifth consecutive hit for the Norse in the inning.
It would end up being her second triple of the game and this time it would drive in two runs. She would score on the ensuing error, bring the score to 9-5 in favor of Bay College.
The Norse would score two in the fifth, highlighted by Bruntjens' RBI double, and add one in the seventh. Rhiley Hubert (SO, Rapid River, MI) was able to shut the Blue Knight attack down, earning the win, pitching four innings in relief. She would strike out five, and give up five hits, no runs, and walk no one.
Bruntjens collected four hits in the contest in five at bats, driving in two runs and scoring three times. Hardwick tallied four RBI with her two triples in five trips to the plate, while LaFleche would go two for two and McAlpine picked up two hits in her five at bats.
GAME 2 - BAY COLLEGE - 3, DAKOTA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - 0
Hubert would continue to baffle the Blue Knight bats in the second game. She would go the distance, giving up just four hits, walking three hitters, and striking out five.
Bay would not score until the fifth. A leadoff walk and error set the table, as the Norse would manufacture runs with a groundball and a bunt single by McAlpine to go up by two runs. They took advantage of another error in the sixth, and this time Beth Gannigan (FR, Coleman, WI) drove in a run with a single to center.
The Blue Knights would draw two walks in the seventh, but both runners would be left stranded as Hubert would get two fly balls to end the game, and a four game sweep of the Blue Knights.
"I'm so proud of the fight this team has," said Head Softball Coach Heidi Charon after the game. "To be behind in the first games both days this weekend and have big offensive innings later in the game to come back really shows their grit and focus. Our pitchers have been working especially hard to keep us in these games. And even though they're always solid, our outfield did an exceptional job taking away big hits from a team of strong Dakota County hitters. We're excited to carry this momentum into our regional tournament next weekend."
The Norse will wrap up regular season play on Wednesday, May 1. They will host Silver Lake College in a doubleheader starting at 3. They will then proceed to the NJCAA Region XIII Tournament in Glendive, MT. The six team tournament begins play on Friday, May 3.
FRIDAY GAME SUMMARIES
The Bay College Norse softball team scored late to beat the Dakota County Technical College Blue Knights in Minnesota on Friday...twice.
The Norse won the opener, 8-5, with a six-run rally to break a 3-3 tie in the fourth inning, and then won the nightcap, 4-2, scoring twice in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie.
In the opener, Kaitlyn Hardwick's three-run double put the Norse ahead, 6-3, and they never looked back. Aubree Saunders and Richelle Vandeville both had two hits. Lexi Winling threw a complete game, allowing five runs (only on earned) on eight hits.
In the nightcap, the Norse got some help from the DCTC defense to score what turned out to be the go-ahead runs. Jerrika McAlpine and Eve LaFleche both had two hits. Rhiley Hubert pitched a complete game, giving up one earned run on ten hits.
Bay College improved to 23-7 on the season and will face the Blue Knights two more times on Saturday.
Stories below written by Bay College SID Mike Pankow
The Bay Norse Softball Team (23-7) swept the Dakota County Technical College Blue Knights (9-15) in doubleheader action on Friday afternoon. A big fourth inning would push the Norse to an 8-5 victory in the first game and they would take a 4-2 win in the nightcap.
GAME 1 - BAY COLLEGE - 8, DAKOTA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - 5
After Emily Bruntjens (SO, Escanaba, MI) scored on an error in the first, the Blue Knights would answer back in the bottom half. Two Norse errors would extend the inning, and Deymbre Avalos (FR, Avondale, AZ) would drive in a run with a single. Bay would be down 3-1 after the first.
Bay would take advantage of an error to cut into the lead in the second, and took a commanding lead after a big fourth inning. Eve LaFleche (FR, Hillman, MI) singled in a run to tie the game, and Kaitlyn Hardwick would clear a bases loaded jam with a two-out double. Richelle Vandeville (FR, Rapid River, MI) followed that with a double and would score on an error, giving the Norse an 8-3 lead.
Dakota County loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the fourth. They would score one run on a groundout, but the Norse would shut the rally down. Lexi Winling (FR, Gladstone, MI) would induce a fly out, get a strike out, and a pop out to second. Bay would work out of another situation in the fifth, giving up just one run, and held on for a 8-5.
Hardwick finished two for four with three RBI, a run scored, and a double. Vandeville would also go two for four with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Saunders collected two hits in four at bats with a double, and Bruntjens would also collect a pair of hits in four at bats.
Winling gave up eight hits and just one earned runs in seven innings of work. She walked five and struck out five.
GAME 2 - BAY COLLEGE - 4, DAKOTA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - 2
Dakota County paired a couple of hits in the first to plate the first run of the game, but Bay would answer in the bottom half. Bruntjens and Jerricka McAlpine (SO, Escanaba, MI) led off with singles to put runners on first and third. The two players would pull off a double steal to tie the game, with McAlpine advancing to third on an error. She would score on a ground ball, giving the Norse the lead.
The Blue Knights would finally crack the board again in the fifth. Avalos came through with an RBI single, to tie the game at two. After a leadoff single for Bay in the bottom half, the Blue Knights looked as though they would work around it, getting two quick outs. A defensive miscue would open the door, plating a run, and setting up Vandeville, who drove in another run with a double to center.
Bay would work around a leadoff single in the sixth, and then find themselves in trouble in the top in the seventh. With one out, back-to-back singles set up the Blue Knights with the go ahead run coming to the plate. A pop out would make it two outs, but a line drive single loaded the bases. The Norse would get out of the jam, getting a pop out to second base to end the game.
Rhiley Hubert (SO, Rapid River, MI) scattered ten hits over seven innings, give up just one earned run, and one walk, and strike out three. McAlpine had two hits in three at bats and scored a run. LaFleche added two hits in three at bats with a run scored.
The Norse continue their series with Dakota County on Saturday afternoon, weather permitting. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.
