Bulldogs defeat Hayfield and WEM for the first time in years
The JWP softball team has proven they can be hard to handle on offense. But they had to prove they could hold teams back on defense, which was difficult against St. Clair-Loyola and Blooming Prairie.
But this past week, they did that against two quality Gopher Conference opponents, starting with a 9-8 victory against Hayfield on Monday, April 8. Then, on the following Thursday, they traveled to Waterville-Elysian-Morristown and handily defeated the Buccaneers 13-6. It was the first time in many years since the Bulldogs defeated Hayfield and the first time since 2017 that they won against WEM.
Bulldogs 9, Vikings 8
JWP hosted Hayfield in a nail-biter of a game to start the week. A high-quality team like Hayfield has given the Bulldogs problems for years, but not this time.
Things started off rough for the Bulldogs when the Vikings were able to hit a home run and score three runs right away. Thankfully, 8th-grade pitcher Ryleigh Donner got their team out of the top of the first inning with three straight strikeouts.
The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the first and matched each run Hayfield scored with juniors Ellah Oliver and Brielle Dessner hitting singles. Autumn Thissen got to first base off an error. Freshman Hudson Miller helped Thissen get the game-tying run with an RBI and a single. Sophomore Kayle Langford also hit a single.
After a 3-3 tie, JWP got an out on Hayfield before they cracked the Bulldogs defense again with a triple to get two runs. Another error allowed a third run to get the Vikings to a 6-3 lead. JWP tried their best to rally a few more runs, including sophomore Victoria Blomstrom sprinting to beat the throw to first base. And although she got home off of Oliver’s first single, Hayfield shut them down.
After a quiet third, despite senior Lexie Dahlberg’s attempt to steal home plate, Hayfield had the bases loaded. However, the Bulldogs kept their composure and only allowed one run. A clutch catch by first baseman Autumn Thissen got them out of there. In the bottom of the fourth, Ewert walked to first and eventually stole to home plate off a catcher error. After junior Sophie Coulsey got a single, a failed attempt to get a single by Oliver allowed Coulsey to get home.
JWP held strong in the fifth inning with two line drive attempts by Hayfield failing and another clutch catch by Thissen. Although the score stayed 7-6 in favor of the Vikings, the Bulldogs were put in another bases-loaded situation, but catches by Oliver at shortstop, Miller near the Bulldogs’ dugout, and a throw to first made it 8-6.
At the bottom of the sixth inning, Miller hit a single, stole a base, and Ewert hit another single to set up another offensive rally. Although Ewert was caught stealing to second, Miller stole home plate. A string of hits by Coulsey and Blomstrom was followed by another out on Oliver that let Coulsey get home. Eventually, Brielle Dessner got the game-winning RBI off a single that allowed Ewert to get home.
The Bulldogs ended it at the top of the seventh with Donner catching an out, recording a strikeout, and Dessner at left field catching a pop fly to seal a 9-8 victory.
It was the first time in several years that the JWP softball team defeated Hayfield. According to our limited research, the Vikings won every matchup in the 2010s.
Donner pitched all seven innings and struck out four batters while giving up four walks.
Bulldogs 13, Buccaneers 6
The Bulldogs made some history again on Thursday, defeating WEM for the first time since 2017, when they narrowly defeated the Bucs at home 5-4. It was also the first time JWP beat the Bucs on the road since 2010, then they took an 8-5 victory.
It did take all seven innings to get the victory, but that didn’t mean the Bulldogs eased up on WEM. They scored a solid 13 runs to the Bucs’ six. Donner pitched all seven innings.
The softball team’s 2-0 week puts their overall record at 3-3 (2-1 in-conference). Weather pending, they hosted Maple River on Tuesday, April 16, before traveling to Kenyon-Wanamingo the following Thursday. They will host Cleveland on Friday.
