Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Softball

Mike Randleman – Faribault Daily News

From a nailbiter to a blowout, the Buccaneers fell on both ends of the spectrum in recent victories.

The Waterville-Elysian-Morristown softball team held on to beat Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 5-4 Saturday in Waterville and rolled at United South Central 16-0 in four innings Monday in Wells.

“JWP is a solid team,” said WEM coach Crystal Lamont. “We didn’t have our best offensive game but we did enough to get the win.”

WEM scored one in the second inning and led 3-0 after five and 5-1 after six.

JWP scored three in the top of the seventh and had runners on second and third base poised to tie or take the lead. WEM pitcher Trista Hering shut the door with a strikeout swinging.

Only two of her four runs allowed were earned and she struck out 13 Bulldogs.

“Brielle Bartelt had a big game on her birthday,” said WEM coach Crystal Lamont. “She was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and made some very athletic plays in the field and on the bases.”

Autumn Taylor made an impact off the bench. After missing most of the season to injury, she came in and made a tough catch in the outfield and had a key two-out RBI in the fifth inning.

A scoreless first inning belied what waited ahead for WEM against USC.

The Bucs chipped away with two runs in the second and blew the game open with nine in the second and five in the fourth to force the 15-run mercy rule.

All WEM hitters reached base and all but one had a hit. The lone Buc to not get a hit was Makayla Paulson who walked and scored a run in her only plate appearance.

Hailie Tegmeier hit a home run and joined Kylie Pittmann, Megan Adank, Maddy Meskan, Brielle Bartelt and Allison Rients in recording two hits. Adank had two doubles.

“Every at-bat they have the potential to hit a gap,” Lamont said of senior leaders Adank and Tegmeier. “It’s nice having that deep threat in the lineup.”

Hering threw a one-hitter, walked none and struck out seven in an efficient outing.

WEM moves to 9-3 on the season and is off until 4:30 p.m. Thursday when Maple River comes to town. The Bucs beat the Eagles 7-2 on April 26.

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 16, United South Central 0 (4 innings)

W — 029 50X X

U — 000 00X X

WEM hitting — Hailie Tegmeier 2-3, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 BB; Kylie Pittmann 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B; Megan Adank 2-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B; Maddy Meskan 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI; Brielle Bartelt 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI; Allison Rients 2-3, 2 R; Nicole Nuetzman 1-3, R, RBI, BB; Ellie Ready 1-3, R, RBI; Autumn Taylor 1-3, R, RBI, BB; Makayla Paulson 0-0, R, BB

WEM pitching — Trista Hering (W) 4IP-1H-0ER-0R-0BB-7SO

WEM 5, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 4 (Saturday)

J — 000 001 3

W — 010 112 X

WEM hitting — Bartelt 3-3, R, 2 RBI; Rients 2-3, R; Pittmann 1-4, 2 RBI; Taylor 1-1, RBI; Tegmeier 1-2, 2B, BB; Adank 1-2, 2 R, 2B, BB; Nuetzman 1-4; Meskan 0-2, BB

WEM pitching — Hering (W) 7IP-7H-2ER-4R-2BB-13SO