Softball roundup: Bulldogs turn up the 'D' to beat BBE

Apr. 11—BROOTEN — The Paynesville softball teams shored up its defense, threw strikes and got enough timely hits to earn its first victory of the 2024 season.

The Bulldogs beat Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 5-3 Thursday in a Central Minnesota Conference game at BBE Elementary School.

Paynesville opened with a 12-2 six-inning loss Tuesday at Melrose.

The difference? "We didn't walk seven batters in a row in the first inning," said Paynesville head coach Zach Nelson, who counted off 14 walks, four hits and one error in that loss.

Thursday, junior right-hander Madison McNab went the distance for the Bulldogs. She struck out five, walked three, scattered five hits and allowed one earned run.

"She did a really good job," Nelson said. "She threw strikes and our defense, we're going to be really solid defensively."

McNab went 2-for-3 at the plate. Kiara Stanger was 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Katie Good and Graysin Miller also had hits for Paynesville.

McKenna Lieser, Faith Radermacher, Brooklyn Fischer, Mya Worms and Lydia Primus had hits for the Jaguars (2-2).

BBE plays Browerville-Eagle Valley at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Browerville. Paynesville plays host to Long Prairie-Grey Eagle at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Eden Valley-Watkins' Brooklyn Glenz threw a two-hitter to beat Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City in five innings at Grove City.

Rosie Holien had both hits for the Falcons. ACGC plays host to Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa at 4:30 p.m. Monday at Grove City.

Rocori's Jenna Boos tossed a no-hitter in a four-inning Central Lakes Conference game at Willmar.

Boos struck out eight. She also was 1-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored.

The Spartans finished with 17 hits.

Grace Etterman took the loss for the Cardinals. She stuck out two in three innings.

Willmar goes to Alexandria at 5 p.m. Friday.

Rockford out-hit Litchfield 10-2 to secure a Wright County Conference win at Rockford.

Lillyan Bury struck out 15 for the Rockets while also coming up with two hits on offense.

Grace Roberg and Paizli Johnson each finished with hits for the Dragons.

Litchfield plays Eden Valley-Watkins at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Eden Valley.

Junior Aubrey Quern struck out 13, walked three and allowed one hit to lead Dassel-Cokato past New London-Spicer in the Wildcats' season-opener at Cokato.

"They beat us 6-0 in the last game of our season last year," NLS head coach Melissa Bergeson said. "I think they've beaten us worse than that in our earlier games."

Two NLS pitchers scattered 10 hits and walked two. Abby Knudsen went the first 4- 2/3 innings and Emily Ruter finished up. Dassel-Cokato left 10 runners on base.

Mallory Johnson had the Wildcats' lone hit. Knudsen, Delaney Hatlestad, Brianna Wileman and Leia Farhat drew walks.

Genevieve O'Brien was 2-for-4 with a double, Emily Vacek was 2-for-4 and Quern was 2-for-3 for the Chargers.

NLS plays host to Litchfield at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Melrose belted out 18 hits in Game 2 to earn a sweep over Benson at Melrose.

Hannah Hoppe and Allie Hoppe each hit home runs for the Dutchmen.

Presley Nygaard, Hailee Ellingson, Jordan Schmidt and Madison Osterbauer all had hits for the Braves.

Benson plays Dawson-Boyd at 4:45 p.m. Friday at Dawson.

Melrose 713 07-18 18 0

Benson 000 10-1 4 0

Hitting — Melrose: Hannah Hoppe 3-4 r-3 rbi-3 hr bb sb-4, Kaitlyn Klasen 1-2 r-3 bb-3 sb-3, Shantel Gruber 1-2 r-3 rbi bb-2 sb, Theresia Nathe 4-4 r-3 rbi-4 2b-3 sb, Ellie Grieve 3-4 r-2 rbi-4 sb-2, Allie Hoppe 2-3 r rbi-3 hr bb, Nadia Berscit 1-2 r bb-2 sb, Brooke Welle 2-3 r-2 rbi bb sb-2, Bryanne Feldewerd 1-4 rbi sb ... Benson: Presley Nygaard 1-3 r sb, Hailee Ellingson 1-2 sb, Jordan Schmidt 1-2 rbi, Madison Osterbauer 1-2

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — Melrose: Klasen (W) 5-4-1-1-1-5 ... Benson: Paige Wrobleski (L) 2-9-8-8-6-1, Nygaard 3-9-10-10-4-2

The Dutchmen erased an early lead by Benson en route to a six-inning win at Melrose.

Mya McGeary led the Braves with a pair of hits. She was 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and two runs scored.

Presley Nygaard, Jordan Schmidt, Paige Wrobleski and Megan Wrobleski each recorded a hit for Benson.

Ellie Grieve helped pace Melrose. She hit 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and a pair of RBIs.

Eighth-grader Kaitlyn Flann tossed a three-hitter, striking out seven with no walks, to lead BOLD past Minnewaska at Olivia.

Ema Flann, Delaney Tersteeg and Lila Beckler all had two hits for the Warriors. Ema Flann was 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI and a triple. Tersteeg was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs, two RBIs, two walks and four stolen bases. Beckler went 2-for-3 with a run, two RBIs, a walk, a double and two stolen bases.

Jenna Drewes, Emma Poegel and Avery Lewison had hits for Minnewaska.

BOLD hosts Benson at 4 p.m. Thursday at Dirks Park in Olivia. Minnewaska plays Yellow Medicine East at 4:30 p.m. Monday in Granite Falls.

Kaitlyn Flann pitched a five-inning no-hitters, striking out 10 and walking no one, in BOLD's victory at Olivia.

BOLD had six hits and used a six-run fourth inning to open it up. The Warriors scored twice in the bottom of the fifth with two outs for the walk-off win.

Morris/Chokio-Alberta's Haley Kill tossed a four-inning no-hitter against Montevideo to cap off a West Central Conference sweep at Morris.

Kill struck out 10 in the victory. The only Thunder Hawks base runner was Hallie Helgeson after she was hit by a pitch.

The Thunder Hawks play host to Lakeview at 5:15 p.m. Friday at Montevideo.

Morris/Chokio-Albeta tallied 10 runs in the third inning in a four-inning win in the opener against Montevideo at Morris.

Lauren Hottovy went 3-for-3 with a double, three runs and three RBIs for the Tigers.

Lily Eisenlohr, Gabby Augeson and Peyton Dack all had hits for the Thunder Hawks.

Mackenna Hinderks threw a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and a walk in Renville County West's five-inning victory at Danube.

Breana Winzenburg went 2-for-2 with a double, one run and a walk for the Jaguars.RCW plays host to Ortonville at 4:30 p.m. Monday at Danube.