Blue Earth Area (BEA) suffered a tough loss in their home softball opener against Maple River, with the Eagles breaking a 5-5 tie in the sixth inning to secure a 6-5 victory over the Bucs. Despite BEA holding a 3-0 lead through three innings, Maple River fought back to tie the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning. BEA regained the lead with two runs in the fourth, but the Eagles responded with two runs in the fifth to tie the game again before taking the lead in the sixth.
Olivia Dutton and Kylee Eckmann pitched for BEA, with Dutton starting and Eckmann finishing the game. Eckmann also had a strong performance at the plate, finishing with three hits. The Bucs committed four errors during the game, contributing to their defeat.
In a previous game against Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman, BEA dominated with a 20-2 victory. The Bucs scored nine runs in the first inning and continued to add runs throughout the game, finishing with 24 hits. Olivia Dutton pitched a stellar game, allowing only one hit and striking out eight batters.
BEA’s strong start to the season continued with a 10-2 win over Waseca, with Kylee Eckmann pitching a complete game and striking out 11 batters. The Bucs scored consistently in the first four innings to build a commanding lead over the Bluejays.
With a record of 2-1, BEA is looking to bounce back from their recent loss and continue their winning streak in the upcoming games.