Buc girls start season 2-1 in softball

Kylee Eckmann is shown going into her windup during the Bucs’ game against Maple River.
Maple River spoiled Blue Earth Area’s home softball opener on Tuesday, April when they broke a 5-5 tie in the top of the sixth inning and held the Bucs scoreless the rest of the game to go home with a 6-5 triumph over the Maroon and Gold.
The Bucs were in the lead by a 3-0 score through three innings before the Eagles tallied three runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 3-3.
BEA regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs to take a 5-3 lead after four complete innings.
The Eagles scored twice in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 5-5 before scoring what proved to be the winning run in the top of the sixth inning.
Olivia Dutton started on the mound for the Bucs and pitched four complete innings. She was charged with three runs (one earned) and gave up five hits and struck out one batter.
Kylee Eckmann pitched the final three innings and was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs (two earned). She struck out two batters while allowing five hits.
BEA committed four errors during the game which contributed to their defeat.
The Bucs got on the board in the first inning when Eckmann singled and stole second and third base.
With two outs, Taylor Klabunde singled to drive in Eckmann and put the Bucs on top 1-0.
Eckmann led off the third inning with a triple and scored on Dutton’s double to right field. Dutton eventually scored on a ground out by Reagan Machacek. BEA had a 3-0 lead at the time.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Erika Gaydon walked. She advanced to second base on a single by Eckmann and scored on a single by Dutton with Eckmann being thrown out during the play.
A double by Machacek brought home Dutton and gave BEA a 5-3 lead heading into the top of the fifth inning.
Unfortunately, Maple River rallied and defeated BEA 6-5.
Eckmann continued to swing a hot bat and finished with three hits in the game. Dutton, Machacek and Klabunde each had two hits while Ashlyn Klinkner and Claire Sullivan each recorded one hit. The Bucs outhit the Eagles 11-10.
With the loss, BEA’s record stands at 2-1.
BEA 20, ML/GHEC/T
The Blue Earth Area Buccaneers jumped on Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/ Truman Jaguars’ pitching for nine runs in the top of the first inning on their way to a 20-2 victory in softball on Monday, April 8.
BEA pounded out 24 hits in their victory while the Bucs’ pitcher, Olivia Dutton, surrendered only one hit during the five-inning game.
The Maroon and Gold wasted little time in pushing their first run across the plate. Kylee Eckmann let off with a single to center and scored when Dutton hit a double to right field.
A single by Reagan Machacek put runners on the corners with zero outs before Machacek stole second base to put both runners in scoring position.
Claire Sullivan was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike with Dutton scoring on the play and Machacek holding at second.
Machacek stole third base and remained there when Taylor Klabunde reached first base on an error. Klabunde stole second base and both runners scored when Ashlyn Klinkner stroked a double to left field.
A triple by Kyla Roiger plated Klinkner with the Bucs’ fifth run of the inning. A single by Berkley Hagedorn drove in Roiger to make the score 6-0.
Hagedorn advanced to second base on a wild pitch before Destinee Griffey walked to bring the top of the order back to the plate.
Eckmann got her second hit of the inning when she laced a double to right field which scored Hagedorn and allowed Griffey to move to third base.
Leading 7-0, Dutton hit her second double of the inning to bring home Griffey and Eckmann and complete the Bucs’ scoring for the inning with BEA on top 9-0.
The Bucs added two more runs in the top of the third inning, one run in the top of the fourth and eight more when they came to bat in the top of the fifth inning to account for their 20 runs. The Jaguars scored their two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
In addition to giving up only one hit, Dutton struck out eight batters and walked two to earn the victory.
Many Bucs had multiple-hit games led by Eckmann, Dutton and Machacek with four hits each. Klabunde and Roiger each had three hits while Klinkner, Hagedorn and Griffey each finished with two hits.
Eckmann drove in four runs, Dutton, Klinkner and Roiger each drove in three and Klabunde drove in two.
With the win, BEA improves their record to 2-0 for the season.
BEA 10, Waseca 2
The Blue Earth Area Buccaneers got their 2024 softball season started on the right track when they traveled to Waseca on Thursday, April 4 and defeated the Bluejays 10-2.
BEA’s Kylee Eckmann went the distance on the mound to pick up the win. She pitched seven innings and gave up five hits while striking out 11 batters and walking four.
The Bucs scored in each of the first four innings to build an 8-1 advantage over the Bluejays.
With one out in the top of the first inning, Olivia Dutton walked and stole second base. Reagan Machacek walked to put runners on the corners.
Waseca got their second out of the inning on a strike out but not before Machacek stole second base to move into scoring position.
A single by Claire Sullivan plated both Dutton and Machacek and gave the Bucs a 2-0 lead.
Eckmann issued one walk in the bottom of the first but struck out three batters to preserve BEA’s 2-0 lead.
The Bucs added three more runs to their total in the top of the second inning.
Kyla Roiger led off the inning with a double to center field. Waseca recorded a fly out and then a ground out which allowed Roiger to advance to third base.
A single by Eckmann drove home Roiger with BEA’s third run of the game before a walk to Dutton and Machacek getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases. Ashlyn Klinkner walked to drive in Eckmann and a single by Sullivan brought home Dutton to put the Bucs on top 5-0.
Roiger and Berkley Hagedorn each walked to start off the top of the third inning. A Waseca error on a hard grounder off the bat of Erika Gaydon loaded the bases with zero outs.
A single by Eckmann knocked in Roiger to make the score 6-0 in favor of the Bucs.
Dutton’s grounder to the second baseman resulted in Hagedorn being forced out at home for the first out of the inning. However, a walk to Machacek brought home Gaydon and increased BEA’s lead to 7-0.
A run by the Bucs in the top of the fourth inning increased their lead to 8-0 before the Bluejays got on the board with one run in the bottom of the fourth.
After scoreless fifth and sixth innings, BEA added two more runs in the top of the seventh and Waseca scored one in the bottom of the seventh to make the final score 10-2 in favor of the Bucs.
BEA had eight hits during the game and Buccaneer batters were walked 10 times.
Dutton got on base five times during the game with three hits and two walks. She drove in one run.
Sullivan ended the game with two hits and three runs batted in. Eckmann had two hits and two runs batted in.
The Bucs committed one error during the contest while the Bluejays were charged with two miscues.