Aggressive Baserunning Pushes Alexandria Over Detroit Lakes Softball In Section Tournament Opener

Kyla Schatz gets ready to take some warmup swings before the Section 8AAA Playoff game in Alexandria on May 24, 2022. (Photo: Zeke Fuhrman)

ALEXANDRIA, MN (KDLM) – The Detroit Lakes softball team dropped their opening game of the section 8AAA Playoffs to the Alexandria Cardinals, 21-4.

The Lakers struck first in the top of the first. After Emma Coley singled to right to start the game, Siri Vagle got plunked, then Coley scored on a Cardinal error off the bat of Maddy Bellanger. Alexandria changed pitchers after only three batters and the new pitcher Jordan O’Kane, retired the next three batters to strand Vagle at third and Bellanger at second.

Alexandria would hang eight runs on the Lakers in the bottom of the first after the Lakers committed two errors in the infield. O’Kane was 2-2 with two runs scored in the first inning alone.

Down 8-1 in the top of the second, the Lakers scored three runs to cut the deficit to four. Ellie Lunde walked to lead off the inning, then Questes Weidenbach singled. Halle Johnson flew out to the first baseman for the first out of the inning, followed by an Emma Coley single that scored Lunde. Vagle grounded out to second, then Bellanger hit a two-out, two-run double to make it 8-4.

Alexandria responded with four runs in the bottom of the second and, after holding the Lakers scoreless in the top of the third, tacked on nine more in the bottom half of the inning. In all, Alexandria scored 21 runs on 15 hits and took advantage of five Laker errors all while cranking up the aggressiveness on the basepaths and taking extra bases amidst the confusion of the Laker infield.

Coley finished the game 2-3 with two runs scored, Bellanger was 1-2 with 2 RBI, Lunde was 1-1 with a walk, a double, and a run scored, and Weidenbach was 1-2 with a run scored to account for all five Laker hits.

Alexandria will advance to face Little Falls at 4:00 on Thursday. With the double-elimination format, the Lakers will now face the loser of Willmar/Rocori following that game with their season on the line. Sauk Rapids-Rice will travel to Little Falls to face the loser of Little Falls and Alexandria.

SCORING:

DL – 1 3 0 0 – 4

ALEX – 8 4 9 X – 21