Blossoms win subsection title
Published 4:45 pm Saturday, May 28, 2011
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Blooming Prairie's Kelsey Kubista and Randolph's Ashley May look up for the call after Kubista was nearly thrown out trying to slide back into third during their Sub Section 1A West Division semifinal game Saturday at Todd Park. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
It was business as usual with one slight speed bump for the Awesome Blossoms as they beat Randolph 11-0 in five innings and topped Kenyon/Wanamingo 9-3 to claim the Subsection 1A West Division softball title at Todd Park Saturday.
K/W (11-10 overall) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on BP in the title game when Siri Sviggum knocked in two runs with a two-out single in the third inning. BP tied the game at two when Jenna Krell scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the fourth and the Blossoms took the lead for good when Julia Manges singled in a run.
BP took a little while to find their rhythm against K/W pitcher Syndey Kiemish after going against a slower Randolph pitcher in the first game.
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Blooming Prairie's Trisha DeBoer lays down a bunt against Randolph in the Sub Section 1A West Division semifinals Saturday at Todd Park. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“We just had to get our timing down with the second pitcher and it was good,” Shelbi Swenson, who went three-for-four against K/W, said. “I was confident and I knew we could get back in it and we did.”
Once the floodwaters were open, BP poured it on as it tallied 10 of its 15 hits in the fifth and sixth innings.
“It usually takes us an inning to get going for some reason and after that we started hitting the ball,” BP shortstop Tayla Jones, who was 5-for-7 with a double and two RBIs on the day, said. “Once someone got on base, it motivated everyone else to get on.”
BP senior Erica Manske pitched a dominant 12 innings on the mound. She struck out a total of 20 hitters, while allowing just three hits, one walk and zero earned runs.
“I expect that from her and she expects that from herself. She’s taken on a leadership role this year,” BP head coach Ali Mach said.
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Blooming Prairie's Jenna Krell takes off to steal second during the semifinals of the Sub section 1A West Division against Randolph Saturday at Todd Park. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
BP scored five runs in the second and third innings in the win over Randolph (10-12 overall). Manske knocked in two runs and Hunter Henderson and Manges each doubled in runs.
BP is now two wins away from getting back to the Class ‘A’ state softball tournament. It will play Wabasha/Kellogg (14-9 overall) Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Todd Park.
“We know we’ve been targeted and we’ve talked about that since day one,” Mach said. “It’s okay being a favorite and it doesn’t make us play any less hard.”
Randolph 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 1 4
BP 1 5 5 0 X – 1111 1
BP pitching: Erica Manske (W), 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 7 K
BP hitting: Tricia DeBoer, 2-for-3, 3 R, SB, BB; Manske, 2-for-2, 2 RBIs, BB; Tayla Jones, 2-for-3, RBI, 2 R, BB; Hunter Henderson, 1-for-2, double, RBI, BB, HBP; Julia Manges, 1-for-3, double, RBI, SB, BB; Shelbi Swenson, 1-for-3, R, SB; Sidni Olson, 0-for-1, BB, HBP; Jenna Krell, 1-for-3, R; Sam Ivers, 1-for-2, RBI, R, SB, BB; Kelsey Kubista, 2 R, SB; Mariah Holland, 2 R
K/W 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 – 3 3 1
BP 0 0 1 1 3 4 X – 9 15 3
BP pitching: Manske (W), 7 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 13 K, HBP
BP hitting: DeBoer, 1-for-5, RBI; Manske, 0-for-3, RBI; Jones, 3-for-4, double, R; Henderson, 1-for-4; Manges, 2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs, 2 R; Swenson, 3-for-4, RBI, 2 R; Olson, 3-for-4, RBI; Krell, 1-for-4, R; Ivers, 1-for-1, double, RBI, R, SB; Tessa Ivers, R