Taylor Klabunde makes contact and strokes the ball to left field in the Diamonds’ 8-2 win over Waseca.

The Blue Earth Diamonds softball team is back in action this summer.

The team, a member of the Fastpitch 16/18U League, traveled to Jackson on Saturday where they lost 11-1.

Jackson scored one run in the bottom of both the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead.

Blue Earth closed the gap to one run in the top of the fourth inning. Olivia Dutton led off the inning with a walk and went to second when Hannah Meyer singled to right.

A single by Claire Sullivan loaded the bases.

Erika Gaydon hit into a fielder’s choice which allowed Dutton to score. However, Jackson was able to get out of the inning without any further damage and maintained a 2-1 lead over Blue Earth.

Jackson extended their lead to 4-1 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and brought the game to an early end when they scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The final line showed the Diamonds with one run on four hits and they committed one error.

Jackson used 10 hits to produce 11 runs and they did not commit an error.

Kylee Eckmann, Dutton and Meyer shared the pitching duties for the Diamonds.

The loss left the Diamonds with a record of 5-4-1.

Blue Earth 16, Windom 5

The Diamonds also faced Windom on June 18 and were the home team on the scoreboard for the contest.

The game was tied 1-1 after three innings but Windom scored four times in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead.

Windom’s lead did not last long. Blue Earth came to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning and erupted for 11 runs.

A walk to Olivia Dutton, a single by Hannah Meyer followed by Claire Sullivan getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases with zero outs.

Two runs came in when the next two batters, Berkley Hagedorn and Erika Gaydon, were each hit by a pitch.

With the bases still loaded, Kylee Eckmann singled to plate Sullivan and Hagedorn and tie the game at 5-5. Gaydon moved to third on the play.

Eckmann stole second base and both she and Gaydon scored when Clara Ziegler singled to right. Ziegler made it to third base when Windom tried to throw out Eckmann at home. The Diamonds now held a 7-5 lead.

Makenzie Benschoter walked and stole second base to give Blue Earth two runners in scoring position.

Taylor Klabunde tripled to right field to drive in two more runs and give the Diamonds a 9-5 lead.

Windom’s pitcher had trouble finding the strike zone and issued consecutive walks to Ashlyn Klinkner and Dutton to load the bases again.

Blue Earth increased their lead to 11-5 when a single by Meyer brought home Klabunde and Klinkner and moved Dutton to third.

Sullivan knocked in the final run of the inning with a single to left field to drive in Dutton and put the Diamonds on top 12-5.

After holding Windom scoreless in the top of the fifth inning, Blue Earth scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to end the game and give the Diamonds a 16-5 victory.

Blue Earth’s 12-hit attack was led by Eckmann with three hits. Klinkner, Meyer, Ziegler and Klabunde each had two hits.

Both of Klabunde’s hits went for extra bases, a double and a triple. She also led the team by driving in four runs. Ziegler added three RBI and Eckmann and Meyer each had two.

Eckmann went the distance on the mound. She allowed five runs on five hits while walking six batters and striking out eight.

Blue Earth 8, Waseca 2

Blue Earth defeated Waseca 8-2 in the first game of a doubleheader played on Thursday, June 16, at the 14th Street fields in Blue Earth.

The Diamonds jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. They made it 6-0 when they added another run in the bottom of the third inning.

Waseca got on the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the fourth but Blue Earth pushed two more runs across the plate in the bottom of the inning to go on top 8-2 and end the scoring in the five-inning game.

Eckmann pitched the first three and a third innings and did not allow a hit. She walked one and struck out eight batters.

Dutton came in and threw the final two and two thirds innings. She allowed two runs on two hits, walked one and struck out five.

Blue Earth 10, Waseca 5

The Diamonds completed the sweep of their doubleheader against Waseca with a four-inning, 10-5 victory.

The game was tied 1-1 after three innings before Blue Earth, who was the visiting team on the scoreboard for the second game, plated nine runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 10-1 lead.

Waseca was able to score four runs in the bottom of the fourth before the Diamonds ended their rally to preserve the 10-5 victory.

Olivia Dutton, Hannah Meyer and Kylee Eckmann shared the pitching duties. The trio surrendered five runs, one earned, on two hits. They walked four batters while striking out seven.

Dutton had two of Blue Earth’s five hits. Claire Sullivan had a double and drove in two runs.