This story was written by Mike Pankow, Bay College SID
 

ROSEMOUNT, MN - The Bay Norse Softball Team (10-4) finished their weekend in the Region 13 Early Bird Tournament with a 12-3 victory over the Lake Region State Royals (5-12) on Saturday afternoon.
 

Bay would score early and often, tallying three runs in the first.  Kaitlyn Hardwick (FR, Gladstone, MI) got it going with an RBI single with one out.  

Aubree Saunders (SO, Escanaba, MI) lined a ball to center to drive another run in with two outs, and an error would follow to plate the third run.  The Norse would put together a two-out rally in the second to add to that lead.  Maddy Griffin (FR, Escanaba, MI) hit a fly ball single to center to send a run home, and Richelle Vandeville (FR, Rapid River, MI) followed that up with a single that scored two runs.  Saunders would strike again, this time with an RBI double, putting the Norse up 7-0 after two innings of play.
 

Bay would continue to add to their lead throughout.  Eve LaFleche (FR, Hillman, MI) and Claire McInerney (FR, Escanaba, MI) hit RBI doubles in the third.  Lauren LaJoie (FR, Sault Ste. Marie, MI) singled in a run in the fifth, and Saunders would end the game on another double, this one would send two to the plate.
 

Rhiley Hubert (SO, Rapid River, MI) picked up the win, pitching a complete game.  She would give up six hits, two walks, and just one earned run.  Saunders ended the game three for four with four RBI and two doubles.  McInerney ended with two hits in three at bats, and was credited with two runs, one RBI, and a double.  LaFleche would hit two doubles in three at bats.  She would score twice and drive in one run.
 

Tehani Yamamoto (FR, Kaunakakai, HI) collected two hits, one of which was a double, in three at bats for the Royals.  Alysha Moser (SO, Devils Lake, ND) homered in the fifth.

The Norse will travel to the Milwaukee area next weekend.  On Friday they will take on Wisconsin Lutheran College JV in a doubleheader that starts at 3 pm.  They will then play a four game series with Bryant and Stratton College on Saturday and Sunday, both of those doubleheaders start at noon.

FRIDAY'S GAME RECAPS

The Bay Norse Softball Team (9-4) would pick up a win and a loss in the Region 13 Early Bird Tournament on Friday. After a big offensive outpouring would give them a 12-3 win over Lake Region State (4-11), the Norse would fall for a second time to Dawson Community College (16-2) by a final of 10-2.
 

GAME 1 - BAY COLLEGE 12, LAKE REGION STATE - 3

A big fourth inning would power the Norse past Lake Region State.  Trailing 3-2 heading into the top of the fourth, Aubree Saunders (SO, Escanaba, MI) would blast a two-run homerun to center field to give Bay the lead.

After RBI singles by Emily Bruntjens (SO, Escanaba, MI) and Claire McInerney (FR, Escanba, MI), Kaitlyn Hardwick (FR, Gladstone, MI) drove in another run with a sacrifice fly.  The Norse would top off the inning with another homerun, this one off the bat of Richelle Vadeville (FR, Rapid River, MI).  The two-run shot would cap off a seven run inning, giving Bay control of the game. 
 

Jerricka McAlpine (FR, Escanaba, MI) doubled in the sixth to drive in an insurance run.  The Norse would hit three homeruns in the matchup.  Maddy Griffin (FR, Escanaba, MI) got the scoring started for Bay in the second with a solo shot to center.
 

Rhiley Hubert (SO, Rapid River, MI) earned the win, pitching all five innings, giving up five hits, and walking three, while striking out two and giving up just one earned run.  McAlpine finished two for two, with three runs scored, two RBI, a double, and a walk.

Samantha Shumway (FR, Cove, UT) went two for three with a run scored and a triple for Lake Region State. 
 

GAME 2 - DAWSON CC - 10, BAY COLLEGE - 2

Bay College took advantage of a walk and an error in the top of the first to grab an early lead, but the Buccaneers would turn the tables quickly.  An RBI double by Maycen O'Neal (FR, Brigham, UT) in the bottom of the second would tie the game. 

It would be a two-out rally in the bottom of the third that would bury the Norse.  Three consecutive singles would give Dawson the lead and an error would plate two more runs.  April Davis (FR, Helena, MT) made the error hurt even more, as she would follow it up with a three-run homerun to center, making the score 7-1 in favor of the Buccaneers. 
 

The Norse were set up for a big inning in the fifth.  Bruntjens and McInerney singled to lead off the inning, and Hardwick walked to load the bases with no one out.  Vandeville singled on a ball up the middle to bring Bruntjens home, but Dawson would slam the door on the Bay rally.  A strikeout, a shallow pop fly, and a ground ball would end the inning and the threat.  Dawson would seal the victory in the fifth, taking advantage of an error, three walks, and a single to add two runs.
 

Shelby Martin (FR, Helena, MT) was credited with the win, scattering five hits and walking four, while striking out six and giving up just one earned run.  O'Neal ended two for two with a run scored, an RBI, and the aforementioned double.

Winling took the loss for Bay, despite just two of her runs being earned in four innings of work.  She walked just one, struck out one, and gave up six hits.  Bruntjens collected two hits in three at bats.
 

The Norse wrap up their appearance in the tournament Saturday afternoon with a rematch against Lake Region State.  First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.

THURSDAY'S GAME RECAP

ROSEMOUNT, MN - Bay College Softball (8-3) dropped a tough decision to the Dawson Community College Buccaneers (13-2) by a final of 5-4 in their opening game of the Region 13 Early Bird Tournament hosted by Dakota County Technical College.
 

Dawson would get on the board first, drawing a walk to lead off the game.  After a stolen base and a wild pitch, the Buccaneers would plate the first run of the game with a ground out.  Bay would answer back in the bottom half of the second. 

After Richelle Vandeville (FR, Rapid River, MI) singled to lead off the inning, they would get a two-out single up the middle from Beth Gannigan (FR, Coleman, WI) to tie the score.  Maddy Griffin (FR, Escanaba, MI) followed that up with a liner to left that fell for a single, then would get past the fielder and bring the runner all the way around to score from first.  

Emily Bruntjens (SO, Escanaba, MI) would lay down a bunt for a perfect infield single, which would also bring Griffin home, giving the Norse a 3-1 lead in the early going.

The Buccaneers would steal a run back in the top of the third, taking advantage of two Norse errors.  Bay would avoid big trouble, leaving runners on second and third, but would not be able to hold on to the lead in the fourth.  After being hit by a pitch, Dawson's April Davis (FR, Helena, MT) would steal second and advance to third on an error.  A sacrifice fly sent her to the plate, tying the game.
 

The Norse caught a break of their own in the fifth as Bruntjens would reach on a one-out error.  After stealing second and setting herself up in scoring position, Kaitlyn Hardwick (FR, Gladstone, MI) drove her in with a fly ball double to right, reclaiming the lead for the Norse.  The lead would be short-lived however, as Ashlyn Tingey (FR, Brigham City, UT) drove a ball over the fence left tying the game with a solo homerun.

  Davis would hurt the Norse a second time, singling to center with one out, then stealing second.  After advancing to third on a passed ball, she would score on Alison Ellerston's (FR, Brigham City, UT) double to center.  Bay would load the bases with two outs in the sixth, and draw a one-out walk in the seventh, but both rallies would be cut short.
 

Shelby Martin (FR, Helena, MT) would pick up the win for her effort.  She pitched all seven innings, striking out 12, while giving up seven hits and two walks.  Just one of her four runs were earned.  Lexi Winling (FR, Gladstone, MI) took the loss for the Norse, also going seven innings and giving up seven hits and three walks.  She struck out four batters.  Three of her five runs were earned.
 

Hadley Bennett (FR, Warren, UT) ended the game two for four with an RBI.  Tingey was two for three, with a walk, a run scored, and an RBI from that big home run.  No Bay hitters were able to collect multiple hits in the game.
 

The Norse will look to bounce back tomorrow as they take on Lake Region State at 11 am.  They then get a rematch with this Dawson team at 1 pm.  Both of those games will take place in Rosemount, MN.