Recap
Norse Softball Off and Running on Spring Break Trip
Catawba Valley Community 10, Bay de Noc Community 1
Myrtle Beach, SC — MYRTLE BEACH, SC – The Bay College Softball Team (7-5) continues their southern trip. They opened with a 10-1 loss to Catawba Valley Community College (11-1) and a 6-5 loss to Rochester Community and Technical College (2-6). They bounced back on Sunday to sweep a doubleheader against Lackawanna College (2-2) on Sunday by scores of 7-0 and 11-10, but the Falcons got revenge the next day taking two games by final scores of 4-3 and 7-6.
In the trip opener Catawba picked up a run in the first and three in the second, but the Norse and starting pitcher Rachael Winkel (FR, Silvis, IL) settled in and worked a scoreless third and fourth. Bay got a two-out rally going in the bottom of the fourth, putting runners on first and second with no one out. An infield single from Ellie Miller (FR, Ishpeming, MI) plated a run, cutting the lead to three, but that was all the Norse would get.
Things took a turn in the fifth as an error and two walks loaded the bases for Catawba. Four singles and another walk would bring around six runs, cracking the game wide open, giving the Norse their first loss of the trip.
Karlie Patron (SO, Ishpeming, MI) was two for two in the game.
Winkel took the loss for Bay. Nine of the ten runs were earned as she gave up eight hits and four walks.
Bay looked to bounce back against Rochester Community and Technical College in their second game. After finding themselves down early, Miller hit an inside-the-park two run home run on a line drive to center to tie the game at four in the bottom of the fifth. The Norse took their first lead of the trip the following inning when Patron singled to center to bring CC Pilon (FR, Rapid River, MI) to the plate.
The Norse found trouble in the seventh, however. A leadoff walk and a single set up RCTC, and an error on an ensuing bunt tied the game. The Yellowjackets scored the go-ahead run on a line drive sacrifice fly to center, and the Norse went down in order in the bottom half.
Sarah Wynn (SO, Pitt Meadows, BC) collected two hits in three at bats.
Patron took a tough-luck loss in the game. She pitched well, going a complete game seven innings giving up six hits and one walk while striking out one. Only one of the six runs were earned.
Bay found themselves locked in a tight one to open day two, but leaned on a great pitching performance from Winkel. She would earn a complete game shutout, giving up just three hits and walking three, while striking out six.
Meanwhile the Norse finally broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. With two on and no one out Miller grounded a ball back up the middle for an RBI single. Lackawanna worked out of trouble in that inning, but couldn't avoid it in the seventh. A pair of errors would assist the Norse and they would get RBI's from Winkel, Wynn, and Patron to give Bay some breathing room.
Avery Sorochan (FR, Two Hills, AB) finished her game with a two for four effort. Miller was also two for four with an RBI and a double, as Patron would drive in two with her two hits in four at bats.
The two teams found themselves in a back and forth showdown in the nightcap. Bay picked up a pair of runs in the first inning, but Lackawanna answered back with four in the bottom half. The two teams traded leads until Lackawanna took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Bay answered in the fifth in a big way. A hit batter and an error set the table. Natalie Belanger (FR, Rapid River, MI) lined a single to tie the game. A walk and an error gave the Norse a two-run lead and Winkel stole home, making the score 8-5 in favor of Bay.
The lead evaporated in the sixth as two errors aided Lackawanna in their effort to tie the game. The Norse took the lead back in the seventh, scoring with two outs on a passed ball, but a two-out double in the bottom half sent the game to extras.
In the eighth Miller lined a single into right making the score 10-9. Lackawanna answered in the bottom half, but left two on, forcing a ninth inning.
The Norse wasted no time in the top half, as Winkel singled to give Bay the lead. They left two on in the inning.
Lackawanna had their chances in the bottom half. A pair of walks to start the inning loaded the bases. Relief pitcher Jamison Ness (FR, Edmonton, AB) recovered nicely though, striking out the next batter. A groundball to second threatened to tie the game again, but Sorochan fielded cleanly and threw the runner out at the plate. Ness then got a strikeout for the final out of the game, picking up the save in dramatic fashion.
Patron was credited with the win, giving up 13 hits, nine runs, five earned, and no walks while striking out five.
Miller, Belanger, Winkel, Kirstin Goodacre (SO, Rapid River, MI), and Pilon each collected two hits in the game. Patron, Miller, and Lexi Kacalo (FR, Marinette, WI) each drove in two runs.
Lackawanna collected four hits, a walk, and used an error to plate four in the first. The Norse responded in the bottom half with six hits to lead off the inning, plating three runs. They would, however, strand the bases loaded and trail by a run.
From there both pitchers would dance in and out of trouble all game. Lackawanna's pitcher, Tess Ruschman (SO, Easton, PA) ended up giving up 13 hits and one walk in the game, while Winkel scattered ten hits and four walks. Neither team would take advantage and the Falcons took a 4-3 decision.
Wynn, Winkel, Kacalo, Kristin Goodacre, and McKenna Bullen (FR, Escanaba, MI) each collected a pair of hits.
In the series finale the Norse took the lead bottom of the second. Wynn tripled to plate two and scored on Sorochan's triple to left, giving Bay a 4-2 lead.
Two walks and three errors in the top of the sixth changed the outcome as Lackawanna drove in five runs, taking a 7-5 lead. Bay took advantage of an error in the bottom half to cut the lead in half, but a line drive double play ended the threat to tie the game. Both teams went down in order in the seventh, and the Norse saw the game slip through their fingers with a 7-6 loss.
Wynn had a great game at the plate, recording a hit in all four at bats. She drove in four runs.
Belanger took the loss in relief, despite all five of the runs she gave up being unearned.
The Norse continue their Spring Break trip with three games against Henry Ford College over the next two days. Tuesday's doubleheader starts at 11 am, while they will play a single game at 11 am on Wednesday.