ROSEMOUNT, MN – On both days of the two-day, four-game series with the Dakota County Technical College Blue Knights (9-9) the pendulum of momentum swung heavily between games.  On Friday the Norse (21-15) won the first game by a score of 11-3 before falling in a close game with the final score of 7-6.  Saturday followed the same trend with Bay running away 11-2 in the first game, before DCTC blanked them 8-0 in the nightcap.

Sarah Wynn (SO, Pitt Meadows, BC) helped the Norse get things started on a positive note, ripping a double to leadoff the top of the first in the opener.  Rachael Winkel (FR, Silvis, IL) walked and Avery Sorochan (FR, Two Hills, AB) lined a ball into right to bring in the first run of the series.  With one out Karlie Patron (SO, Ishpeming, MI) and Natalie Belanger (FR, Rapid River, MI) hit back-to-back singles driving in runs to give Bay a 3-0 lead.

The Norse added to the lead in the third when Sorochan and Ellie Miller (FR, Ishpeming, MI) hit back-to-back homeruns to lead off the inning, and extended the lead in the fourth by scoring a run on doubles in consecutive at bats by Winkel and Sorochan.

The Blue Knights finally had an answer in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out rally.  Molly Erickson (FR, Maple Leaf, MN) hit a three-run homerun to center, cutting the Bay lead in half. 

The Norse broke the game open in the sixth.  McKenna Bullen (FR, Escanaba, MI) and Wynn led off the frame with solo homeruns.  With one out a defensive miscue set up Miller's two-run shot, putting the game out of reach.  Kristin Goodacre (SO, Rapid River, MI) added an RBI single to cap off the scoring.

Sorochan ended up with three hits in four at bats in the game, including a homerun, double, three RBI, and three runs scored.  Millers two long balls in four at bats gave her three RBI.  Wynn, Belanger, and Lexi Kacalo (FR, Marinette, WI) each collected two hits as well.

Patron was the winning pitcher as she went the distance.  She gave up six hits, three earned runs, walked one, and struck out one.

Dakota County took control in game two.  With two outs they had four consecutive batters reach safely, which pushed across three runs.  Sorochan drove in a run in the bottom half, but the Norse stranded two in the frame and trailed by two. 

Bay tied the game up in the second.  With two outs and two on, Winkel doubled to left, driving in both runs.  She would later score on a DCTC error, giving Bay the lead for the first time in the game. 

The Norse looked to take control in the third.  With one out a pair of errors extended the inning.  Allison Podhaniuk (FR, Story Plain, AB) singled to center to add to the Bay lead, and Bullen followed that up with another RBI single, and the Norse led 6-3.

DCTC answered back in the fourth.  Taking advantage of a pair of two-out walks, back-to-back singles would bring a pair of runners home.  Bay would thwart the attempt to tie the game as Bullen through out a runner trying to advance to the plate to end the inning. 

The big out at the plate looked to swing things in favor of the Norse.  A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom half of the fourth, setting up a golden opportunity for Bay to get some much needed insurance runs.  The Blue Knights' Jada Wolle (FR, New Brigton, MN) went to work however, striking out the next two batters and getting the final out to pop up in the infield, which she caught herself, wiggling off the hook and leaving the bases loaded.

Momentum stayed in the home team's favor in the fifth.  A leadoff walk set the stage for DCTC to tie it, but two quick outs made it look as though it would go to waste until Erickson struck again.  This time her homerun to centerfield gave Dakota County a 7-6 lead, but left Bay with three more chances to tie or take the lead.

Bay stranded a leadoff walk in the fifth, a two-out single in the sixth, and with one out in the seventh they had a walk and a single, but both runners were left on as Wolle got the last two hitters to fly out, ending the game.

Winkel started the game for the Norse and gave up six earned runs on eight walks and four hits while striking out two.  After four innings, she gave way to Patron who took the loss, giving up two hits, one run, and two walks while striking out four. 

Wolle pitched the entire contest and scattered 12 hits.  Four of the six runs were earned as she walked four and struck out four. 

Sorochan was three for five while Wynn and Podhaniuk each collected two. 

Bay took the lead early in the first game on Saturday and poured it on late to run away with their second victory of the series.  Winkel got the scoring going with a one-out homerun in the first.  Miller added to it with an RBI single later in the inning. 

Olivia Weinberg (FR, Apple Valley, MN) helped DCTC formulate an answer in the bottom half, ripping an RBI double, but she would be left standing on third at the end of the inning as Bay held onto the lead.

The Norse muscled up in the third inning to extend their lead.  Winkel hit her second homer of the game to lead off the inning.  With two outs Patron connected with one that flew over the fence in left.  Kristin Goodacre kept the power surge going two batters later as she drove a two-run homerun out to left and Bay held a 6-1 lead. 

After the Blue Knights scored a run in the fourth, Bay broke it open in the fifth.  Belanger lined a ball over the fence in center for a two-run homerun.  Bullen doubled to center to bring in two more runs and she would end up scoring on Wynn's sacrifice fly, allowing the Norse to run away with an 11-2 win.

Winkel picked up the win as she gave up six hits, two runs, and walked three, while striking out four.

Six Bay hitters enjoyed a multi-hit effort.  Winkel, Patron, Belanger, Goodacre, CC Pilon (FR, Rapid River, MI), and Bullen each had two hits. 

Emily Kuehl (FR, Bloomer, WI) was tasked with slowing down the hot Bay offense in the series finale, and she found a way to do just that.  In six innings of work she gave up just four this and two walks, while striking out eight hitters, cooling down an offense that had ten homeruns in the series.

Meanwhile the Blue Knight offense worked well in the clutch, bringing in five runs in the first three innings, all with two outs.  The highlight was Natalie Nusbaum's two-run homerun in the second that flew out to center. 

Dakota County rallied for three in the sixth, taking advantage of an error.  The Norse got a pair of two-out hits in the bottom half, but stranded their best threat of the nightcap to end the game.

Patron took the loss for Bay.  She started and went three innings, giving up nine hits and five earned runs.  She did not walk anyone and struck out two.  Jamison Ness (FR, Edmonton, AB) pitched two scoreless, striking out four while giving up three walks and two hits.  Brooke Gannon (FR, Edmonton, AB) pitched the final inning.  She gave up three runs, two walks, and two hits.

Wynn had a pair of singles in three at bats.

Bay is scheduled to go to Ironwood for a doubleheader with Gogebic on Friday evening, though weather and field conditions are more then likely going to change that.  They are also set to make their season home debut against Milwaukee Area Tech on Saturday and Finlandia on Sunday.  Wet weather conditions throughout the week may present a challenge for those games as well.