Softball: Blossoms cruise past JWP in sweep
Published 8:08 pm Friday, May 10, 2013
Blooming Prairie’s Liz Willert holds up as she approaches third base during BP’s sweep of Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton in BP Friday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossoms plated 71 runs in their past four games, but they aren’t about to making reservations for their fourth straight state tournament appearance just yet.
Blooming Prairie, which has won eight in a row, was just taking care of business when it handled Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (0-11 overall) by scores of 17-0 in five innings and 14-1 in five innings in BP Friday.
With the Section 1A tournament starting May 20, the Blossoms (12-2 overall) would like to play in some closer games and they will get that chance Saturday when they host Waseca and Kasson-Mantorville.
Blooming Prairie’s Shelbi Swenson fires a pitch against Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton in Blooming Prairie Friday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
“I don’t think we’ve been challenged or put in difficult situations as much as we’d like,” said BP senior Jenna Krell, who went 4-for-6 with a triple and two RBIs Friday. “We still have a little ways to go to be one hundred percent prepared.”
BP pitcher Shelbi Swenson pitched 10 innings and allowed just three hits, while striking out 16 Friday and BP junior Sydney Heiber hit her homerun of the week, while adding five RBIs.
“I think we’ve been playing fairly well,” BP head coach Ali Mach said. “It’s been a little bit difficult this week because we haven’t seen as strong a pitching as we would’ve liked. I think we’re doing a good job and the lineup is set.”
BP sophomore first baseman Madison Worke has cherished the past two games against slower pitching as she’s making the transition to a slap-hitter in the middle of the season.
Worke, who took up slap hitting a week ago, was 5-for-7 on Friday.
“I love slap hitting,” Worke said. “I was having a little trouble getting hits right handed and coach Mach asked me If I wanted to try slap hitting. I figured why not? I am way more confident now.”
BP pitching: Game 1: Shelbi Swenson (W), 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 12 K; Game 2: Swenson (W), 5 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 K
BP hitting: Tessa Ivers, 7-for-9, double, 6 R, 2 SB; Jenna Krell, 4-for-6, triple, 2 RBIs, 5 R; Sydney Heiber, 5-for-7, HR, 7 RBIs; Swenson, 6-for-8, 2 triples, double, 5 RBIs; Bria Baldwin, 6-for-7, 2 doubles, triple, 4 RBIs, 3 R; Madison Worke, 5-for-7, 2 RBIs, 2 R