MANKATO, Minn. – The two top teams in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference softball standings went toe-to-toe Wednesday as Bethany Lutheran took both games in a doubleheader with UW-Superior, 5-4 and 4-2, at BLC Softball Field.
The teams, tied atop the league standings at 12-0 entering play, knew that the winner of the series would likely host the UMAC tournament if they win their remaining games this weekend.
With the stakes high, the Vikings withstood a four-run rally from the Yellowjackets in the seventh inning of game one to hold on, and scored twice in the third inning of the nightcap to complete the sweep.
Bethany Lutheran (24-9, 14-0 UMAC) scored first in the opener when Haylee Sobrero singled to center field with two out and came around to score two batters later on an Anna Hoffman single.
BLC added another in the fifth. With one gone, Zoe Kinakin and Sobrero walked and Eden Ambrose reached on a fielding error by Alayana Tulip at third base, scoring Kinakin for a 2-0 lead.
The Vikings added three more in the sixth on RBI base hits by Kaylee Mork (triple down the left-field line), Kinakin (single to center) and Sobrero (single to shortstop).
The 'Jackets made a late change in the top of the seventh. Tulip started the frame with a walk and moved to third on an
Ashley Taipale (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) double to the gap in right-center field.
Bailey Armstrong (Scandia, Minn/Forest Lake) followed, reaching on an error by Sarah Presler at third, which allowed Tulip to score.
Down, 5-1,
Bailey Kinnunen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) took a Bria Majeski pitch over the fence in left, pulling Superior to within 5-4. The next batter,
Amber Yoch (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area), though, struck out to end the game.
Majeski (14-6) earned the win in the circle for BLC with a complete-game, four-hitter. Taipale (6-7) took the loss with a complete game of her own. She scattered nine hits, five runs and three walks, while striking out three.
The Vikings again struck first in the second game for two runs in the bottom of the first. UWS knotted the game at 2-2 when Yoch reached on an error to score pinch-runner
Brianna McGrath (Two Harbors, Minn./Two Harbors), and three batters later,
Tiffany Kirk (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) singled to left, plating Yoch.
BLC responded with two more in the bottom of the third. Sobrero led off the frame with a home run to left-center off of
Amanda Kishish (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis). Hoffman later scored on an error for what would be the final two-run margin. The 'Jackets (15-17, 12-2) had four baserunners the rest of the way, but couldn't push any across.
Majeski got the win in relief of Shelby Bloemendaal in game two. Majeski pitched the final three innings, limiting UWS to two hits and two walks. Kishish (5-4) took the loss in her complete-game effort. Kishish allowed seven hits and four runs – three earned – while walking three and fanning four.
Offensively for the 'Jackets, Kinnunen and Taipale collected three hits apiece on the day.
UWS closes the UMAC slate at Minnesota Morris Saturday for a 1 p.m., doubleheader.
