DLBLC softball advances to state semifinals after seventh-inning rally

Minot Daily News

JAMESTOWN — Down three runs with three outs remaining; no problem. The Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis & Clark softball team just doesn’t know how to lose. The undefeated Lakers (20-0) used an improbable four-run seventh inning to stun May-Port-C-G in the first round of the Class B state softball tournament at Lyle “Trapper” Lawrence Field in Jamestown. “We are cardiac kids,” DLBLC coach Melvin Erickson said. “We have come back each of the last four games. They never say quit.” The Lakers have led for a total of six innings in their last four games, which includes a West Region championship. When things have looked bleak, that’s when DLBLC thrives. “Well, we know how to make everybody have a heart attack,” said senior Shayla Sauer, who had a clutch two-run single in the seventh-inning rally. “We had a real gut check there. That’s for sure. But, we pulled it off.” DLBLC opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI groundout by Erica Hermanson. The Patriots responded in the third inning after a ball landed just out the reach of Hermanson running back from first base, which plated two runs. Then, a dropped fly ball in the outfield added one more run. Junior Rylie Oen answered with her speed in the bottom half for the Lakers. Standing on first base, Oen came around to score after a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error on the same play. Ava Rogers came up later in the inning with a chance to give DLBLC the lead again. But, with bases loaded and two outs, she grounded out to third base. A two-out RBI single back up the middle by Ellie Bergstrom put May-Port-C-G up 4-2 in the top of the fourth. Hannah Ust scored on a misplayed grounder to give the Patriots an extra insurance run in the seventh, 5-2. Then, it happened. The undefeated season saving rally. Senior Amanda Hanson kicked off the bottom of the seventh inning by reaching on a dribbler in front of the plate and beat out the throw to first base on a bang-bang play. Oen stepped up next and hit a single through the left side and Hermanson followed up with a full-count walk to load the bases with nobody out. “When Amanda Hanson got that infield hit, I thought this was ours,” Erickson said. “Erica Hermanson’s walk was the big turning point. That put the tying run on base.” Not wasting any time, Sauer singled to bring two runs in and closed the deficit to 5-4. The tying run was now on third base and Sauer moved the winning run up to second base on the throw to home plate. Erica Moen grounded out to second base to tie the game at 5-5.

With the winning run now on third base, Brooklyn Benno made contact and sent a grounder out to second base where Kennedy Foss was waiting for it. But, she couldn’t handle it cleanly and Sauer scampered home from to third to ignite the celebrations. “This means the world,” Erickson said. “It means that (within) the next two years we should be state champions with the pitching that we have.” The Lakers, like they have done all season, went with the tag-team pitching approach of eighth grader Brooklyn Benno and freshman Hermanson. Both struck out eight batters. Benno tossed 3.2 innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on three hits. While Hermanson went 3.1 innings, giving up one run (no earned) on one hit. Patriots’ Bergstrom pitched a complete game, allowing four earned runs on 118 pitches. Offensively, DLBLC had three of its six hits come in the seventh. Oen went 4-for-4 with three runs scored, Sauer came through with the one hit in the seventh and Hanson had the other to led off the seventh. May-Port-C-G finished with four hits. Alison Hutter went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Moving into the state semifinals, DLBLC takes on No. 2 Central Cass at 6:30 p.m. this evening at Lyle “Trapper” Lawrence Field in Jamestown. Central Cass defeated No. 3 Wilton Wing 18-0 Thursday.