ROSEMOUNT, MN – The Norse Softball Team (17-25) took control of the Eastern Sub-Region Tournament by winning the first two games on Tuesday. They opened the tournament with a 13-4 win over Gogebic Community College (0-17). They then upset the top seeded Dakota County Technical College Blue Knights (21-4) on their home field in come-from-behind fashion, winning by a final of 6-5.
Defensive miscues by the Norse kept the Samsons in the game early. An error in the top of the first extended the inning, allowing a one out ground ball to plate the first run. An RBI single soon followed and the Norse were in a hole after giving up two unearned runs.
Bay stepped up and responded in the bottom half of the inning. Lexi Challier (SO, Escanaba, MI) hit an RBI double to center and scored on an RBI single from Taelor Zeise (FR, Gladstone, MI). A Samson error returned the favor in the inning, allowing Riley Arndt (FR, Bark River, MI) to drive in two on double to right, giving the Norse the lead.
Bay took advantage of some more misplays in the bottom of the second. An error started off the inning and Sarah Wynn (FR, Pitt Meadows, BC) wasted no time in making the Samsons pay for it with a double to left to bring in a run. She scored on another error on the very next at bat. Challier, the recipient of the defensive miscue, then stole third base and was able to score on yet another error on the attempt to throw her out, putting Bay up by a score of 7-2.
Gogebic managed a threat in the third. Three singles loaded the bases, but with two outs, the Norse had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. A mistake on defense reared its ugly head again, this time an error allowed two runs to score, and cut the Norse lead to just three.
Bay would break the game open in the bottom half, however. After a pair of walks, the Norse got a run on a passed ball and Challier doubled to drive in another run. After stealing third, she would score on another passed ball. With two outs Kristin Goodacre (FR, Rapid River, MI) knocked in a run with an RBI single, and Karlie Patron (FR, Ishpeming, MI) hit an RBI single of her own, giving the Norse a 12-4 lead.
Bay added a run in the fourth with a Goodacre sacrifice fly.
Hannah Edington (SO, Middleton, WI) took the win for the Norse working the first three innings from the pitcher's circle. She gave up five hits and no walks, striking out two. All four of the runs she gave up were unearned. Karlie Patron worked two innings in relief and gave up a hit and a walk while striking out three.
Cristen Green took the loss for Gogebic.
Challier ended up three for four with four runs scored and a pair of RBI. Goodacre and Zeise ended the game with two hits apiece.
The win moved the Norse into a showdown with the top seeded Blue Knights.
Unfortunately for the Norse their defense put them in a hole again. This time in the top of the first with two outs and two on, a fly ball that could have ended the inning dropped, allowing Dakota County to score two runs.
The same looked to be true in the second inning. The Norse committed an error to lead off the frame, but got two quick outs and had a chance to get out of it. Another error extended the inning and brought in a run, and allowed Elizabeth Lehrer (FR, Little Chute, WI) a chance to hit an RBI triple. The Blue Knights led 4-0 after two innings of play.
Bay's offense got going in the third. After a lead off walk and a sacrifice bunt, Korey Kaukola (SO, Champion, MI) drove in the first run of the game for the Norse with an RBI single to right. Bay then got a pair of clutch, two-out RBI singles from Zeise and Jenna Tardiff (FR, Gladstone, MI) to cut the lead to just one run.
The score remained that way until the top of the fifth. Kaukola led off the inning with a single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a fly ball failed to advance her, Zeise came up with a key two-out hit once again. This time a fly ball to center fell, driving in Kaukola, and tying the game at 4.
The Blue Knights put together a threat in the sixth with a pair of singles, setting up runners on first and second with one away. The Norse took the lead out on a groundball, but with two outs an error once again gifted Dakota County a run, putting them up 5-4 heading into the final inning.
In that seventh inning Kaukola worked the count to draw a lead off walk, and Challier did the same with one out. A double steal put the winning run in scoring position, but the Norse were down to their final out after a strike out. On a 1-2 count Tardiff lined a shot to left that got passed the fielder, giving her a two-RBI double and Bay a 6-5 lead.
A lead off single would be stranded in the bottom of the seventh, and the Norse came out with a hard fought 6-5 victory.
Edington started the game again and went three innings. She gave up four hits, four unearned runs, and walked just one batter. Patron got the win in four innings of relief. She gave up three hits, one unearned run, and struck out four.
Courtney Heagle (SO, Inver Grove Heights, MN) got the loss in a complete game effort. She was tagged with seven hits, six runs, and four walks, while striking out five.
Tardiff had two hits and three RBI in four at bats.
"Both games started off pretty shaky," said Head Coach Heidi Charon, "but the girls dug in and got to work despite falling behind early. They earned each of those games today by responding quickly and continuing to fight hard each and every inning. We were far from perfect defensively but made up for it by executing at critical times and coming up with huge, clutch hits when we needed them. Each and every player stepped up today. Karlie [Patron] and Hannah [Edington] were especially tough on the mound. We are looking forward to tomorrow!"
By winning their first two games, the Norse now have the upper hand in deciding which team hosts the Regional tournament. Bay will await the winner of Gogebic vs. Dakota County on Wednesday morning. The winner of that game will then face the Norse, and in true double elimination fashion, would have to beat Bay twice to advance. The Norse need to win just one more game to host the Regional Tournament.