ACGC 5
The Paynesville Bulldogs beat ACGC 7-5 in the championship game on Saturday.
The Paynesville Bulldogs varsity softball team improved their record to 5-3 by winning both of their games at a three-team tournament on Saturday.The Bulldogs beat Kimball 8-7 and ACGC 7-5.
The Bulldogs rallied to beat Kimball in extra innings, overcoming deficits of 4-0 and 7-4 to win when junior Kelli Heinen stole home in the eighth inning. Kim Hess walked with Heinen at third, and Heinen stole home on the play to win 8-7.
Senior Mellody Veldkamp puts on the brakes while caught in a rundown between third and home against Albany on Tuesday, April 24. Veldkamp made it safely back to third and later scored.
Kimball came out strong in the first inning, scoring four runs to take a 4-0 lead. "We dug ourselves a big hole early, allowing four runs in the first inning," said coach Tim Woehler. "Fortunately, we were able to battle back and tie it up and then win in the eighth."
Heinen scored in the fourth, and then Kim Hess, Mellody Veldkamp, and Heinen scored in the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.
Kimball was able to score three more runs in the seventh inning to take the lead, but Paynesville answered back with three runs of their own. Veldkamp walked and stole second and third. Lisa Hemingson also walked and stole second base. Veldkamp scored on a wild pitch, and Hemingson scored on Jenny Habben's single. Christina Hittle then drove in Habben with a hit to tie the game.
The Bulldogs played at Sauk Centre yesterday.
| Kimball-- | 400 | 000 | 30 | - 7 | 7 | 2 |
| Paynesville-- | 001 | 030 | 31 | - 8 | 7 | 2 |
Kimball - Batting: Stueve 2-4, RBI-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Libbesmeier (L) (3-4-3-3-4-0); Klaberkamp (5-2-4-4-5-2).
Paynesville - Batting: Amy Buermann 2-2 2B R; Jenny Habben 1-3 R RBI; Kellie Heinen 1-2 R-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Lisa Hemingson (W) (8-7-7-5-7-6).
Paynesville 7
ACGC 5
The Paynesville Bulldogs beat ACGC 7-5 in the championship game on Saturday.
Paynesville came out with their bats swinging in the beginning of the game, scoring four runs in the first. However, ACGC answered back with four runs.
Both teams made great defensive plays, and the game remained knotted at four until the seventh inning. "This by far was our best defensive game of the year. Everyone made great plays," said Woehler. "We've got a great group of fighters who never give up."
Sophomore first baseman Ann Stalboerger drives a pitch in the Bulldogs' 15-5 victory over Albany on Tuesday, April 24.
Paynesville scored three runs in the top of the seventh. ACGC got one back in the bottom of the inning, but Paynesville won 7-5.
Hemingson had another great game pitching with nine strikeouts. She allowed only three walks and two earned runs.
| ACGC-- | 400 | 000 | 1 | - 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Paynesville-- | 400 | 000 | 3 | - 7 | 3 | 2 |
ACGC - Batting: Jenissa Gaarder 2-4, R; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Karrisa Hopp (L) (7-3-7-3-7-2).
Paynesville - Batting: Christina Hittle 1-1; Ann Stalboerger 1-4 R RBI-2; Laurie Barten 1-4 R; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Lisa Hemingson (W) (7-6-5-2-5-9).
Paynesville 12
LPGE 6
Paynesville jumped out on top right away against LPGE on Friday and never looked back. The Bulldogs scored five runs in the first inning and won 12-6.
Hemingson, a junior, had a fantastic game with eight strikeouts and giving up only three hits. She also had three hits, including a double and triple. She scored three runs and knocked home three, too.
"This was probably one of our best games," said Woehler.
| LPGE-- | 003 | 130 | 0 | - 6 | 3 | 4 |
| Paynesville-- | 410 | 340 | x | - 12 | 7 | 5 |
LPGE- Batting: Beth Vehekamp 1-3; Ann Beringer 1-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Amanda Johnson (L) (7-7-12-8-6-1).
Paynesville - Batting: Christina Hittle 1-1 2B; Lisa Hemingson 3-3 R-3 2B 3B, RBI-3; Mellody Veldkamp 1-3 R-2 2B; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Lisa Hemingson (W) (7-2-6-4-6-8).
Litchfield 10
Paynesville 0
The Bulldogs lost 10-0 at Litchfield on Thursday. The Bulldogs had six hits, to Litchfield's eight, but they, unlike the Dragons, were unable to make the key plays.
| Paynesville-- | 000 | 00 | - 0 | 6 | 3 | |
| Litchfield-- | 212 | 14 | - 10 | 8 | 2 |
Paynesville - Batting: Christina Hittle 1-2; Kelli Heinen 1-2; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Lisa Hemingson (L) (4.1-8-10-7-6-4).
Litchfield- Batting: Krista Rambow 2-2 R-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Lindsey Mathwig (W) (5-6-0-0-1-3).
Paynesville 15
Albany 5
The Bulldogs took the Huskies to the dog pound on Tuesday, April 24, winning 15-5 in five innings.
"It was a really fun game to play," said Hemingson, a co-captain. "We worked really hard and played as a team."
Albany scored one run in the second inning, and Paynesville put eight on the board.
While the Bulldogs managed 11 hits and scored 15 runs, they did commit four errors, leading to two unearned runs for Albany.
Eighth grader Kim Hess had three hits, three runs, and three RBIs to lead the Bulldogs' assault. Veldkamp, a senior, had two hits and three RBIs.
| Albany-- | 010 | 13 | - 5 | 5 | 1 | |
| Paynesville-- | 083 | 04 | - 15 | 11 | 4 |
Albany- Batting: Sara Solarz 2-3 R RBI; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Sara Eichoff (L) (5.2-11-15-15-5-1).
Paynesville - Batting: Kim Hess 3-3 R-3 RBI-3; Mel Veldkamp 2-4 R-2, RBI-3; Lisa Hemingson 2-3 2B RBI-2; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Hemingson (W) (3-3-1-1-1-3); Kelli Heinen (2-2-4-2-0-1).