Blooming Priarie softball team falls to Bryon
Published 9:07 pm Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Blooming Prairie third baseman Sydney Heiber catches the ball to get the force out on Byron’s Emma Nelson during the second inning Tuesday in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossoms didn’t respond to the cold weather the way they would’ve liked to in a 12-6 loss to Byron in a softball game in BP Thursday.
Blooming Prairie’s Tessa Ivers gets into second ahead of the tag from Byron’s Emma Nelson during the first inning Tuesday in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Bears (1-3 overall) jumped out to an 8-2 lead after they scored five runs in the top of the third inning. That frame saw Byron draw four walks.
BP (4-2 overall) out-hit the Bears 13-9, but it wasn’t enough.
“The weather didn’t make it exciting for them to be out here and clearly we weren’t ready to play,” BP head coach Ali Mach said. “It’s unfortunate, because we’ve been playing really well, but it’s a learning experience for us too. We have players in different spots and we’re young. We have to be mentally tougher and there’s really no excuse for that. We have a lot of ability, but it’s going to depend on the decisions we choose to make from here on out.”
BP had some success at the plate as Mariah Holland was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs and Megan O’Connor was 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. BP’s is off to one of its better starts in recent memory as the Blossoms have scored at least nine six runs in five of their six games.
“Everyone’s worked really hard and we’ve been hitting the ball really well,” Mach said. “On offense we’ve started off better than we have the last couple of years. Mariah’s done an awesome job and Megan’s done an excellent job as well in those roles.”
Blooming Prairie runner Mariah Holland watches the ball sneak through the Bryon infield during their matchup Tuesday in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Blossoms have made several changes to their defensive lineup as Madison Worke has moved to shortstop, Bria Baldwin has moved to center field and Tessa Ivers has moved to catcher. But Mach said she’s probably not done moving players around yet as she looks to give BP the best possible defense it can field.
“I really have to make some decisions,” she said. “I’m a defensive coach and we’ll find a thing that works eventually. We’re not quite there yet.”
Byron 3 0 5 0 1 0 3 — 12 9 1
BP 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 — 6 13 2
BP pitching: Elly Strunk (L), 7 IP, 9 H, 11 BB, 12 ER, 5 HBP, 6 K
BP hitting: Tessa Ivers, 1-for-4, SB, R; Lizz Willert, 0-for-4; Sydney Heiber, 1-for-4, R; Bria Baldwin, 3-for-4, R, SB; Megan O’Connor, 2-for-4, 2 doubles, RBI; Mariah Holland, 3-for-4, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs; Delaney Nelson, 1-for-2; Ashley Krohnberg, 0-for-1; Madison Worke, 2-for-3, RBI; Strunk, 0-for-3