SOFTBALL: Bemidji swept by Brainerd despite Izzy Neadeau’s 5 RBI

BEMIDJI – The Bemidji High School softball team was quite close to knocking off the reigning Section 8-4A champions.

The Lumberjacks battled Brainerd, a 4A state finalist last season, in the second game of a doubleheader at the BHS softball field. BHS even had a 6-2 lead after 4 1/2 innings.

But the Warriors’ championship mettle came through just in time. Brainerd piled up five runs in the bottom of the fifth, taking a 7-6 lead it would not relinquish.

The 7-6 victory sealed a sweep for the Warriors, who took the opening game 11-0.

Bemidji’s bats were cold in the first contest, but they heated up in game two. Izzy Neadeau’s three-run triple in the third inning gave the Jacks (2-7) the initial lead. And though Brainerd (9-1) responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame, the Lumberjacks weren’t done scoring.

Neadeau added to her stellar game with a two-run double in the fifth, giving her five RBIs in the matchup. Later in the inning, Aleah Shogren’s sacrifice fly scored Neadeau and gave BHS a 6-2 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Warriors strung together two run-scoring doubles and an RBI single, plating five runs to claim a 7-6 edge.

Shogren took the loss for the Jacks in game two, allowing seven runs on 15 hits with four strikeouts and no walks in a complete game. Maya Schmidt pitched the first game for Bemidji, conceding 11 runs on as many hits with one strikeout.

The Lumberjacks return to the diamond for a doubleheader against Duluth East at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9, back at the BHS field.

Brainerd 11, Bemidji 0

BRD 440 21 – 11-11-0

BHS 000 00 – 0-2-0

WP: M. Tautges (CG, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)

LP: Schmidt (CG, 5 IP, 11 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 3 BB, 1 K)

Brainerd 7, Bemidji 6

BHS 003 030 0 – 6-11-0

BRD 002 050 X – 7-15-0

WP: Ehlert (1.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K)

LP: Shogren (CG, 6 IP, 15 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)