Bethlehem Academy Wins, Faribault Loses in Softball

The Bethlehem Academy Cardinals edged Hayfield 2-1 while the Faribault Falcons were defeated 10-6 by Kasson-Mantorville Wednesday.

The games were played at  North Alexander Park in Faribault.

Cardinals pitcher Morgan Wilson tamed some previously hot Vikings bats, throwing a 3- hitter.  The junior struck out 4 batters, walked none while throwing 83 pitches, 62 strikes.

Hayfield got strong pitching also from  Elaina Masching, junior.  She scattered 5 hits over six innings with 5 strikeouts and one walk.  Masching threw 72 pitches, 51 strikes.

Bethlehem Academy scored their runs in the bottom of the 4th inning when Anna Tobin, junior, opened with a single and was brought home by an opposite field triple by Wilson.  Caitlin Bothun, sophomore,  followed with an RBI single.

The Vikings run came in the sixth inning when Kennady Rutledge, freshman, hit a two out single and Nora Bamlet, junior connected for an RBI double.

The Cardinals (10-5) are at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Thursday beginning 4:30 p.m.

Hayfield (10-7) was coming off a 13-0 win over Blooming Prairie and hosts Pine Island Thursday.  First pitch is scheduled 4:30 p.,.

Faribault Falcons pitcher Rylee Sietsema held Kasson-Mantorville hitless going into the 4th inning, but the KoMets managed 9 hits over the next four innings to win 10-6.

Sietsema, senior, gave up 10 runs, 6 earned with 9 hits, struck out 8 batters and walked 4.  She threw 150 pitches, 85 strikes.

The Falcons scored 2 runs in the first inning when Amanda Cullen, sophomore, reached base on a error with one out.  Sietsema doubled to center, Cullen advancing to third base.  Olivia Smith, senior, clubbed a 2 RBI single.

Kasson-Mantorville took the lead by scoring 3 runs in the 4th inning when they opened with back-to-back walks.  With 2 outs Kylie Meyer, sophomore, smacked a run scoring single.  Olson doubled with two more runs scoring.

The KoMets scored 2 more runs in the 5th inning on a Abbigail Simons, senior, double following a one out single. walk and error.

In the bottom of the 5th inning Sietsema opened with a single, Smith clubbed a single and Amira Williams, freshman, hit a RBI single.  Following a strikeout Jamie Adamek, junior, hit a RBI single and Brooke Racine, senior singled before Kasson-Mantorville turned a double play to end the threat of a big inning.

A Falcons error opened the KoMets sixth inning.  Following a fielder's choice for the first out there was another error.  Following a strikeout Allie Graunke, sophomore, smacked a 2-run triple.

Bottom of the 6th Reagan Drengenberg, senior, opened with a hit by pitch, Cullen singled, then advanced to second base on a passed ball.  Sietsema hit a 2-run single to make the score 7-6.  Williams hit a one out single advancing the tying run to second base but back-to-back pop outs ended the threat.

Calleigh Richards, senior, started the 7th inning with a single, Simons also singled and Andria Fitch, senior, smashed a home run to extend the KoMets lead.

Faribault (9-8) finishes their regular season Thursday, May 16, 2024 by going to Rochester Century with a 5:00 p.m. scheduled first pitch.

Kasson-Mantorville (13-4) hosts Jordan Thursday before ending at Red Wing Friday, May 17, 2024.  Both games are scheduled to start 5:00 p.m.

Other reported softball from the region:

• Northfield  18  Albert Lea  7
• Lakeville North  7  Eagan  2
• Lakeville South  7  Burnsville  0
• Farmington  13  Prior Lake  2
• Rosemount  5  Eastview  0