Softball: Awesome Blossoms are one win from state
Published 6:55 pm Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Blooming Prairie’s Jenna Krell steals second as Lewiston-Altura’s Sarah Meilner waits for the ball during their semifinal game in the Section 1A tournament Tuesday night at Todd Park. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Awesome Blossoms didn’t leave any doubt as they beat Lewiston-Altura (8-13 overall) 10-0 in six innings in the Section 1A semifinals in Todd Park Tuesday.
Blooming Pitcher Shelbi Swenson watches a flyball into her glover during the sixth inning of the Awesome Blossoms’ Section 1A semi-final game against Lewiston-Altura Tuesday evening. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie senior pitcher Shelbi Swenson pitched a no-hitter and struck out 12, but it was the Blossoms’ ability to rack up hits that put them in complete control.
Junior third basemen Sydney Heiber led the charge by going 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Blossoms (19-3 overall), who will play for their fourth straight trip to state at Todd Park Thursday at 5 p.m.
“I just come out here and do what I can do,” Heiber said. “I’m pretty excited and I’m ready for the section title game.”
BP head coach Ali Mach was happy to see the offensive explosion after BP had to sweat out a 1-0 win over Kenyon-Wanamingo and a 5-3 win over Randolph in the previous two rounds.
“We needed to put the ball in play. That was our focus,” Mach said. “We know we have the legs to get around the bases and it was huge for us to score some runs.”
BP got a lift from it’s lead-off hitter Tessa Ivers, who had been in a little slump. But she snapped out of it by drawing a walk, and blooping an RBI-single.
“Sometimes I just overthink it. I’ve just got to settle in,” Ivers said.
BP broke in the scoring column in the third inning when Jenna Krell doubled in a run, Heiber beat out an infield single to score a run and Swenson and Sam Ivers each had RBI-groundouts.
BP put the game away in the sixth when Tessa Ivers and Heiber knocked in runs.
“We’ve got to keep the bats going and they’ve got to stay loose,” Mach said. “There’s a lot of confidence to be had. Tessa got the ball in play and we haven’t seen that from her lately.”
BP will play Hayfield in the Section 1A title game Thursday.
Blooming Prairie’s Tessa Ivers runs at a pitch during BP’s semifinal game against Lewiston-Altura in the Section 1A tournament at Todd Park. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LA 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 2
BP 0 0 4 0 2 4 — 10 9 1
BP pitching: Sam Swenson (W), 6 IP, 2 BB, 0 R, 12 K, 2 HBP
BP hitting: Tessa Ivers, 1-for-3, RBI, 2 R, BB; Sydney Heiber, 3-for-4, 2 RBIs, R; Shelbi Swenson, 0-for-3, 2 RBIs; Sam Ivers, 1-for-3, RBI; Madison Worke, 1-for-3, RBI; Bria Baldwin, 0-for-2; Ashley Krohnberg, 0-for-1; Mariah Holland, 1-for-1, R, BB; Megan O’Connor, 1-for-2, R; Liz Willert, 0-for-1
Rocky Hulne is the sports editor of the Austin Daily Herald. Follow him on twitter @RockyHulneADH.
