The best way to start a season is with a win, and the Paynesville varsity softball team did just that in dramatic fashion. The Bulldogs played Melrose on Monday, April 16. The Bulldogs outscored Melrose 10-9, with the winning run coming home in the seventh inning, in their season opener.
"It was very exciting to start off with a win. It gives the rest of the season an optimistic tone," said coÐcaptain Laurie Barten.
Lisa Hemingson pitched a great game, only giving up five hits and striking out five Melrose players in six innings. Heather Roos relieved Hemingson in the seventh inning and picked up the victory.
Melrose opened the scoring with three runs in the third inning, but the Bulldogs answered with six consecutive runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Dogs scored two more runs in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead.
Ann Stalboerger and Hemingson both had two singles and scored two runs. Mellody Veldkamp had one hit and also scored two runs.
Steph Lieser, from Melrose, had three hits, including a double and scored two runs.
Melrose rallied with three runs in the sixth and another three runs in the seventh inning to take a 9-8 lead. But Hemingson scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and eighth grader Kim Hess drove home Kelli Heinen (pictured scoring a run) with the winning run to give Paynesville a 10-9 victory.
Head coach Tim Woehler said, "I was very pleased with the way the girls battled back after losing the lead in the top of the seventh inning to score two runs in the bottom and start the year off 1-0."
The Bulldogs were scheduled to play at Sauk Centre on Monday, April 23, but that game was postponed to May 17. They were also scheduled to host Albany yesterday, April 24.
The Bulldogs will be playing at Litchfield on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Paynesville will also be hosting LPGE on Friday at 5 p.m.
New this year will be a tournament in Paynesville for the varsity and junior varsity on Saturday, April 28. Kimball and ACGC will be attending the tournament. The Bulldogs will play Kimball at 10 a.m. and ACGC at 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs will also be hosting Sauk Centre on Tuesday, May 1, at 4:30 p.m.
| Melrose-- | 003 | 003 | 3 | - 9 | 8 | 3 |
| Paynesville-- | 006 | 006 | 12 | -10 | 10 | 4 |
St. Cloud Cathedral 5, Paynesville 0
The Bulldogs traveled to St. Cloud to play Cathedral last Thursday, dug themselves into an early hole, and lost 5-0.
Junior Kelli Heinen said, "It was a tough loss, but we know what our weak points are and where we need to step up our game."
The Bulldogs had trouble getting started because the pitchers walked ten players and had ten wild pitches.
Cathedral scored two runs in the first inning due to mental errors made by Paynesville. The Bulldogs held St. Cloud at two runs until the fourth inning when St. Cloud scored three more runs. Two runs were scored on wild pitches.
Despite the Bulldogs' stuggle in pitching, Paynesville managed to outhit St. Cloud 4-2.
Veldkamp, Hemingson, Roos, and Stalboerger all had a hit for the team.
| Paynesville-- | 000 | 000 | 0 | - 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Cathedral-- | 200 | 300 | x | -5 | 2 | 4 |
BBE 12, Paynesville 10
The Bulldogs came ready to play last Friday, April 20 when they hosted a game against Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. The Bulldogs' bats were ready, scoring ten runs; however, Paynesville committed six errors that cost them the game, losing 12-10.
Coach Woehler said, "The big difference in the game was our sluggish start. We allowed them two unearned runs in the first inning."
Hemingson pitched well, allowing only two walks and striking out five, but she allowed ten hits and was hurt by six Paynesville errors.
Paynesville got one run back when Veldkamp scored in the bottom of the first. BBE scored three more times in the third inning, but the Bulldogs answered with four runs to tie the game.
Kim Hess singled, stole second, and advanced to third on Jenny Habben's single. Habben stole second base and Hemingson walked to load the bases.
With the bases loaded, Barten hit a ground ball past third and the left fielder bobbled the ball, allowing everyone to score and tie the game at five.
"I was proud of the way we battled back, but unlike Tuesday, this time we just came up a little short," said Woehler.
BBE scored seven times in the final three innings, and Paynesville managed only five runs.
| BBE-- | 203 | 022 | 3 | - 10 | 0 | 3 |
| Paynesville-- | 104 | 002 | 3 | -10 | 9 | 6 |