Hayfield Fastpitch Defeats Bethlehem Academy

Hayfield Vikings senior pitcher Cait Hendrickson struck out 12 Bethlehem Academy Cardinals batters in a 7-2 win Monday in Hayfield.

The Vikings had 8 hits, the Cardinals 3 hits in the Gopher Conference contest.

Hendrickson was very efficient with a total of 78 pitches thrown in nine innings, 56 of them strikes.  She allowed one walk and hit a batter.  Hendrickson consistently hit the corners with six of the twelve strikeouts for Bethlehem Academy looking.

The first time through the Cardinals batting order Hendrickson struck out 7 of the 9 batters with 5 of the 7 looking.

Give the young Bethlehem Academy team credit.  They did adjust the second time through with one swinging strikeout before the Hayfield righthanded pitcher struck out four of the last five Cardinals batters. Three of them swinging.

Sophmore Kate Trump started in the pitching circle for BA falling behind in the count against a very good hitting Vikings team.  Just one first pitch strike to the 8 batters faced in the first inning.  She threw 33 pitches the first inning, 71 total through 3 and 2/3 innings.

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After a pop out to start the game eight grader Anna Bamlet pulled a 1-0 pitch to right field for a single.  #3 hitter senior Kylie Freeburg had a 2-2 count when she pulled the ball down the left field line scoring Bamlet.  Cleanup hitter junior Natalee Heydt hit a 2-0 pitch to load the bases.

Shortstop, sophmore Jo Tempel worked the count full, fouled off a couple of tough pitches before collecting a RBI on a walk.  After a 33 pitch first inning for Trump the Vikings had a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the 4th inning it appeared Cardinals senior Malia Hunt bunted successfully to start the inning with the first batter reaching base.  She was safe according to the base umpire but the home plate umpire ruled she ran out of the baseline and was out.

#3 hitter, eighth grader Anna Tobin walked.  Trump hit a fly ball to right field that was caught for the second out.

During the Morgan Wilson at bat Tobin stole second and advanced to third base on a error.

Eighth grader Wilson smashed a 0-2 pitch up the middle, Hendrickson was able to knock it down but could not locate the ball and in my scorebook Wilson had a RBI single for the first hit off the Hayfield pitcher.

The score was 2-1 going into the bottom of the fourth inning.

It appeared Trump was getting into a pitching rhythm retiring the previous six batters going into the fourth but a four pitch walk opened the inning.  Vikings senior Maleah Olson advanced to second on a grounder after failing to get a bunt down but the result was the same.

#9 hitter in the Hayfield batting order eighth grader Kenna Selk hammered a ball to the gap in right center field scoring Olson.  Selk had a standing up double.

With two outs Bamlet hit a 2-0 pitch for an RBI single.  Freeburg stepped to the plate and got an opposite field 2 run homer to open up a 6-1 lead.

Trump was lifted after the home run.  Wilson came in to finish the game allowing 2 hits in her 2 and 1/3 innings of work throwing 41 pitches, 25 strikes.  Wilson had no strike outs, a hit batter and a walk with one run scored in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Bethlehem Academy second baseman 8th grade Anna Cohen led off the top of the 6th inning with a infield single.  Hunt bunted Cohen to second base.  After the second out was recorded Trump jumped on the first pitch she saw for a solid single thanks to a level swing.  Cohen scored.

Hayfield scored their last run in the bottom of the 6th to get back the run allowed.

With one out Hendrickson had an infield single, went to second base on a comeback grounder to the pitcher.  Freeburg then delivered an RBI single to end a impressive day at the plate.  3 for 3 with 4 RBI.

Freeburg and Hendrickson were named our Cashwise Foods and Pharmacy of Owatonna delivery of the game recipients.  Hendrickson for her pitching performance and Freeburg for delivering a perfect day at the plate.

The Malecha's Auto Body of Faribault Crunch Time Faribault players of the game were Malia Hunt and Reagan Kangas.  Hunt had a couple of nice picks at shortstop and catcher Kangas threw a Hayfield runner out by a couple feet in the 5th inning.

We are scheduled to broadcast the Cardinals game Tuesday in Goodhue.  Coverage beginning around 4:25 p.m.

Bethlehem Academy has a 2-4 overall record, 1-3 in Gopher Conference games.  Hayfield is 4-1 on the season, 3-1 in the Gopher.

The Vikings are at United South Central Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

See all Southern Minnesota High School Sports Scores here

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