Benson-Hancock softball finishes 17-6

Benson-Hancock softball can reflect on a season of rich memories even though a state tournament berth was just out of its grasp at the end. The Brave-Owls outdid their geographic rivals in the West Central-South Conference: Morris Area.
The Tigers of MAHS were stunned to be handed defeat in the very first round of play, whereas Benson-Hancock reached the elite circle of four teams in contention for the Section 3AA title. Some fans borrow the basketball term "Final Four" for this.
One of the traits of prep softball in Minnesota is that teams can get new life in the post-season thanks to a double-elimination format. Morris Area softball lost too early to be a beneficiary of this. The Brave-Owls did not.
So when Benson-Hancock was thumped 7-0 by Pipestone Saturday, the team could put this disappointment behind them and regroup for another challenge. That new challenge was against Jackson County.
Pipestone? Jackson County? Yes, these teams are from quite further to the south than our West Central Conference teams. Cross-bracketing can match teams from schools a considerable distance from each other. Teams get to see a lot of new faces in the opponent's dugout during this phase, which can be refreshing and interesting although a scouting challenge is undoubtedly presented.
The Brave-Owls' game against Jackson County ended up being their highlight of "Final Four" play. Things did look bleak for a time in that game. The Jackson County girls led 2-1 when two innings were done, and looked to be cruising with a 6-1 lead entering the bottom of the third.
The B-H bats looked to be slumbering but they woke up in an explosive way. The exploded in a come-from-behind flourish and propelled B-H to a winning outcome 11-7.
Remember, the Brave-Owls had been shut out in their previous game (vs. Pipestone). So there was concern among their fan following when the score became 6-1 and with B-H in a hole against Jackson County.
Undaunted, the Brave-Owls focused and began connecting to put runs on the board. Momentum started growing when Tasha Wiebold, Anna Jensen and Megan Jepma hit safely in the third. Jensen's hit was a double.
The momentum continued into the fourth when the Brave-Owls were able to get the score tied. The third and fourth inning rallies were marked by success when two outs had been recorded. Jackson County made an error in the fourth that greased the B-H "mo" a little, but hits were the main story. These were off the bats of Kendra Schmidgall, Tasha Wiebold, Datrianna Jensen and Brennan Hagen.
The Benson-Hancock surging continued into the fifth and again there was special poise with two outs. Taylor Semler, the Brave-Owls' ace pitcher, stoked the cause offensively with a single. Kendra Schmidgall likewise connected for a hit, and Mallory Jensen laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners.
The stage was set for Tasha Wiebold's hot bat. This time Wiebold's bat produced a two-RBI hit with two outs.
The B-H success began opening up some real breathing room on the scoreboard in the sixth. Four hits resounded off B-H bats in the sixth and now the squad looks truly in command with an 11-6 lead. Jackson County scored a meaningless run in the top of the seventh.
The B-H girls could feel good about their 11-7 triumph but there would be no more come-from-behind magic in the action to come.

The final game
Pitcher Semler matched her Redwood Valley rival pretty well in the Tuesday game at Marshall. Semler, always very stingy giving up hits, threw a four-hitter at Redwood Valley. But rival Samantha Felt also tossed a four-hitter, and it was Felt and her mates who had the winning satisfaction at the end.
The Cardinals were buoyed by a two-run single in the fifth which proved decisive. The Brave-Owls' stellar 2010 season came to an end in the 3-1 final score. This was an elimination-round final game.
Jessica Fischer of the Cardinals broke the hearts of the hearty B-H fans who wanted to see a repeat of their team's previous game. But Fischer hit a line drive to center field in a most timely way.
There were two outs. Semler was hoping to send Fischer back to the dugout.
The Brave-Owls even would have taken a mistaken umpire's call! But that topical angle never came into play. Alas, the Fischer liner drove in Kayla Pohlen and Megan Bunting. The wind was suddenly in the Cardinals' sails (or wings).
Pohlen had scored Redwood Valley's first run in the third. That run knotted the score, as B-H had initially taken the lead in the second inning with a lone run. Any and all runs are precious at this level of play. Julia Ahrndt doubled into the gap to bring home the walking Brennan Hagen.
Mallory Jensen and Tasha Wiebold built hopes for a third inning rally as they started things off with singles. But a goose egg ended up going on the scoreboard for B-H in the third.
The two pitchers were quite stellar although Semler wasn't overpowering; she had just one strikeout. But she walked only two and gave up just the four hits. Plus, one of the runs she allowed was unearned.
Felt set down eight batters on strikes and walked two, carrying the Redwood Valley softball banner with capability.
Mallory Jensen was the only Brave-Owl with a multiple-hit game (two-for-three). Tasha Wiebold and Julia Ahrndt had the other Benson-Hancock hits in the game's box.
The Cardinals hitting safely were Ashley Bunting, Callie Hansen, Jessica Fischer and Sam Felt.
Reaching the Final Four of 3AA play was an exciting final chapter to the win-filled Brave-Owls' season of 2010.
The underclassmen will begin focusing on how to sharpen their play when next spring arrives. It won't be easy to match or surpass the 2010 won-lost numbers of 17-6.
(Sorry this post is a little late.)
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com