The Bulldogs softball team dropped three games last week. Paynesville lost to Sauk Centre at home 13-2, at Belview-Danube-Renville-Sacred Heart (BDRSH) 11-6, and at New London-Spicer (NL-S) 11-3.The weather Thursday was bitterly cold, windy, and rainy. Sauk Centre jumped ahead with five runs in the first and added five more over the next two innings to take a 10-0 lead.
Sophomore catcher Mellody Veldkamp drew two walks and scored both runs for Paynesville. Carrie Hemmesch and Alisha Block had the only hits for Paynesville.
Sauk Centre scored every inning and won in five innings 13-2. Kelly Loesch pitched the whole game for Paynesville and allowed seven hits and four walks. Wild pitches and errors harmed the Bulldogs' cause, though. Only four of Sauk Centre's 13 runs were earned.
The Bulldogs had their best offensive game on Tuesday, April 13, against BDRSH. The Bulldogs scored a season-high six runs and had nine hits. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs trailed 10-1 before their bats caught fire.
In the sixth inning, Carrie Hemmesch led off with a triple and scored on Tiff Haag's double. Gretchen Ziemer added an RBI double later in the inning, and Kelly Loesch, Kelsey Moser, and Trish Hemmesch added singles. The Bulldogs scored four runs and left the bases loaded.
In the seventh, Alisha Block hit a triple and scored on a wild pitch.
Errors and wild pitches hurt the Bulldogs against BDRSH. The Bulldogs committed six errors and allowed eight unearned runs.
Against NL-S, Jill Clark dominated the game from the pitcher's rubber. The Wildcat hurled a no-hitter while striking out 12.
The Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Wildcats' lead to 4-3, but the Wildcats scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth and Clark shut out the Bulldogs the rest of the way.
Sauk Centre 523 12 - 13 7 2
Paynesville 000 104 1 - 6 9 7
Paynesville 000 030 0 - 3 0 5
Paynesville 001 01 - 2 2 6
BDRSH 013 421 x - 11 6 2
NL-S 300 152 x - 11 10 2
Their April 16 game at Albany has been rescheduled for next Monday, April 26. Next Tuesday, April 27, they will host Litchfield.