ESCANABA, MI – The Bay College Norse Softball Team (12-20) ended up splitting the season series with the Finlandia University Lions (12-20) after a four-game home and home series this weekend. On Friday the Norse took the first game 10-0 in Hancock, MI, but dropped the second one by a score of 8-7. Bay hosted the Lions on Sunday afternoon and won 19-2 in the opener, but lost in the second half of the twin bill by a score of 10-5.
Bay opened the season series with an offensive outburst. They collected 11 hits as a team and took control of the game early. A bases loaded double with one out by Kirstin Goodacre (FR, Rapid River, MI) drove in three and capped off a four run first inning.
The Norse added a pair in the second when Bonnie Cortinas (FR, Long Beach, MS) singled with two outs.
Four runs came across in the fourth for Bay as they would get RBI hits from Riley Arndt (FR, Bark River, MI), Lexi Challier (SO, Escanaba, MI), and Taelor Zeise (FR, Gladstone, MI) in the inning.
Meanwhile, Karlie Patron (FR, Ishpeming, MI) was pitching a gem. She gave up just two hits and walked three, while striking out two in a complete game shutout.
Challier collected three hits in four at bats in the game. Zeise went two for four with two RBI, while Korey Kaukola (SO, Champion, MI) also collected two hits in four at bats.
The Norse took an early lead in the second game. Kaukola and Sarah Wynn (FR, Pitt Meadows, BC) hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the first. Bay added an unearned run later in the inning.
The Lions got on the board with an RBI double form Megan Corrigan (FR, Lake Linden, MI) in the second, and the teams traded runs in the third to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Norse.
Patron followed a Goodacre leadoff double with an RBI single in the fourth, but a big fifth inning for the Lions would change the momentum of the game. After the first four batters reached safely in the inning, Malone Heibert (JR, Portland, OR) singled to tie the game, and a two-RBI double from Corrigan gave Finlandia their first lead of the day.
The Lions added to it in the sixth. An error to start the inning set them up for an Elijah Marshall (SR, Tonganoxie, KS) RBI double. Marshall scored on a second Norse defensive miscue, putting Finlandia up 8-4.
Bay rallied in the seventh. With runners on second and third Wynn singled to center to cut the lead in half. Challier followed that up with an RBI single, and would represent the tying run as she advanced to third on the play. Kyndell Coffman (SR, Apache, OK) worked out of the jam, inducing a comebacker ground out and striking out the last hitter to seal the 8-7 win for the Lions.
Coffman went the distance and struck out six and walked no one. Five of the seven runs were earned.
Patron took the loss, giving up eight runs, six earned, and four walks while striking out two. Both pitchers gave up ten hits.
Corrigan had two doubles in three at bats, driving in three runs.
Wynn ended the game with three RBI in a two for four effort.
On Sunday the Norse bats were alive once again in the opener. They belted six homeruns in the contest. Taelor Zeise's second home run of the day was a grand slam and part of a 12-run fourth inning that put the game away.
Korey Kaukola also had two home runs in the game. Lexi Challier and Bonnie Cortinas each hit one as well.
Patron got the win giving up seven hits and two earned runs while striking out five and walking two.
Coffman took the loss for Finlandia.
Zeise added a single to her two-home run day, finishing three for four with seven RBI. Wynn was four for four with a double, four runs scored, and an RBI. Kaukola collected three hits in her four trips to the plate, scoring three times and driving two.
The Norse were forced to play from behind in the finale as the Lions reached safely with their first four batters of the game. Finlandia put up three runs in the first and added a run in the second.
Bay started chipping away at the lead in the bottom half of the second when Hailey Boucher (FR, Bark River, MI) singled in a run. Challier hit a solo home run in the third to make the score 4-2 and Cortnias drove in a run with a double in the third.
Melanie Torres (JR, Chico, CA) led off the fifth with a home run that put Finlandia back up by two.
Lexi Challier popped her second home run of the game in the bottom half, this one with a runner on, tying the game at five.
A five-run sixth for the Lions ended up deciding the game. Two errors mixed in with a pair of hits got the ball rolling, and the inning was capped off by a three-run home run from Daniella Gonzalez (SR, Bell Gardens, CA).
The Norse would get just one more base runner the rest of the game, which came with two outs in the seventh.
Harlie Caster (SR, Norway, MI) earned the win in the pitcher's circle giving up seven hits, five runs, four earned and striking out seven.
Patron took the loss, though only five of the ten runs were earned. She struck out seven and walked three.
Torres had a big game for the Lions, going four for five with three runs scored and four RBI.
Challier finished three for four with three RBI.
Bay College will get back to Region 13 play on Wednesday evening at Gogebic. The doubleheader is scheduled for a 5 pm first pitch.