Blue Earth Area pitcher Kylee Eckmann picked up the win in both games of a doubleheader against Redwood Valley.

The Blue Earth Area softball team got back on track with the sweep of a doubleheader against Redwood Valley on Monday, May 9. The games were played in Blue Earth.

BEA 10, RWV 7

Kylee Eckmann’s double in the bottom of the sixth inning drove in two runs to give the Bucs an 8-7 lead on their way to a 10-7 victory over the Redwood Valley Cardinals in the opening game of the twin bill.

The Cardinals held a 7-5 lead before the Bucs came to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, but a five-run outburst by the Maroon and Gold was enough to propel the team to victory.

RWV held a 5-0 lead after the top of the fourth inning, but BEA scored one run in the bottom of the inning to break up the shut out.

The Bucs scored their first run when Olivia Dutton doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Klabunde.

The Cardinals answered with two runs in the top of the fifth to go on top 7-1.

BEA responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

With two outs, Lily Olson was at second base and Kylee Johnson was on first. A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance one base.

Dutton hit a ground ball and reached first base on an error by the first baseman. Olson scored on the play and Johnson moved to third base.

Dutton stole second base and she and Johnson both scored on a single by Taylor Klabunde.

Another error by the Cardinals allowed Reagan Machacek to reach first base while Klabunde went to third base.

Klabunde stole home for the Bucs’ fourth run of the inning to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 7-5.

BEA’s sixth inning rally began with four consecutive walks. Berkley Hagedorn, Clara Ziegler, Olson and Johnson all walked with Hagedorn scoring to cut RWV’s lead to 7-6 and set the plate for Eckmann’s double which gave BEA their first lead of the game at 8-7.

A ground out by Dutton brought home the ninth run and another single by Klabunde scored another run to give the Bucs a 10-7 lead.

The Cardinals loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning with no outs but a pop out to the third baseman Klabunde and two strikeouts by the pitcher Eckmann sealed the victory for the Bucs.

Eckmann hurled all seven innings to pick up the win.

Klabunde had two hits and drove in four runs. Claire Sullivan also had two hits. Getting extra-base hits were Eckmann and Dutton who each had a double.

BEA 14, RWV 8

The Bucs were the visiting team on the scoreboard for the second game of the doubleheader against the Cardinals. And, much like the first game, it took a big rally for the girls in Maroon and Gold to pull out the victory in the six-inning game.

A six-run fourth inning and a seven-run sixth provided BEA with the runs they needed to overcome RWV by a final score of 14-8.

The Cardinals scored five runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead.

BEA pushed one run across the plate in the top of the third inning and then added six more runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 7-5 lead.

RWV scored once in the bottom of the fourth inning and twice in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead at 8-7.

The Bucs’ seven-run sixth-inning rally began with a walk to Kylee Eckmann. Following an infield pop out, Taylor Klabunde doubled to center field to knock in Eckmann with the first run of the inning.

Reagan Machacek’s single put runners at the corners.

With Claire Sullivan at the plate, Machacek moved to second base on a wild pitch. Sullivan then singled to score Klabunde with Machacek taking third base.

Ashlyn Klinkner brought home both base runners with a double to left field.

Clara Ziegler reached on an infield error which also allowed Klinkner to advance to third base.

Klinkner scored and Ziegler raced to third base on a single by Lily Olson.

A walk to Kylee Johnson loaded the bases and Eckmann hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Ziegler.

A single by Olivia Dutton brought home the final run of the inning with BEA now holding a 14-8 lead.

The game was called after six innings because of darkness.

Eckmann relieved the starting pitcher, Dutton, in the fifth inning and was credited with the victory.

The Bucs had 16 hits in the game, led by Machacek with four. Dutton collected three hits while Eckmann, Sullivan, Klinkner and Olson each had two hits.

Klabunde, Dutton and Klinkner all doubled for BEA.

Eckmann and Sullivan each drove in three runs while Machacek and Klinkner each drove in two.