Fastpitch playoffs (VIDEOS) and track/field updates (another video added)

Late Tuesday night...I just put the finishing touches on a 1,959-word fastpitch softball story for this week's newspaper. The newspaper as a whole is in jeopardy for this week, however, as the deadline is screaming at me louder than any deadline has in recent memory. It appears my graduation coverage is at risk and will be split up across this week and the June 6 issue. It is a sinking feeling as I'm realizing that my best effort is falling short this week.


Here's additional coverage from Marshall on Saturday...it seems like so long ago, but yet it's still fresh in my mind. The Sunday/Monday activities have been numerous since the drive home from Marshall on Saturday. The B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team had a 1-1 showing in the elimination bracket of Section 3A on Saturday. They began with a thrilling 3-2 win against BOLD before falling 10-5 to Camden Conference co-champion Lac qui Parle Valley.

The Jaguars finished 10-13 overall, which marks the first time since the 2009 season when they earned double digit wins.

Here's a video from B-B-E's dugout in the postgame speech by an elated Coach Funk after the Jaguars ended BOLD's season:


Against BOLD, freshman Mya Worms earned six strikeouts with no walks with eight hits. Offensively, the Jaguars stood tall at the plate against BOLD's dynamic and seasoned eighth grade pitcher, Kaitlyn Flann, while earning five hits. Flann, in her second season as a varsity pitcher for the Warriors, also did not walk a batter while earning five strikeouts. One of B-B-E's three runs were earned.

*Here's a longer video from the Lac qui Parle Valley game in the fourth inning, when the Jaguars scored four runs to erase what was a 2-0 deficit:


Against LQPV, Anna Jaeger, Kenna Lieser, Mya Worms and Taylor Shelton each singled, while Brooklyn Fischer had one double. Worms and eighth grader Lydia Primus pitched, with Primus firing from the circle in the final 1 1/3 innings.

The Eagles (18-6) scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. They scored four additional runs in the bottom of the sixth. Next for LQPV is another elimination game on Tuesday (tomorrow) at 5 p.m., when they take on Wabasso. The winner advances to the loser's bracket final.

Time to get back to the May 30 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

In amateur baseball news...
On Saturday night in Farming, the Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team suffered heartbreak when a late 4-3 could not hold up in the ninth inning against the Flames. Elrosa, still searching for their first win, led 3-0 after three innings and 4-0 after four-and-a-half. The Flames scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth, and then they punched across two in the bottom of the ninth for the walk-off win.

Friday's game was called mid-game due to Elrosa losing electricity.

Next: the Saints travel to Regal for a border clash on Friday this week (May 31) with first pitch at 7:30 p.m.

In track and field news...
At last Thursday's Sub-Section 5A-West championships, the B-B-E Jaguars track and field teams had five athletes advance through to this week's Section 5A meet. Kameron Hiltner (100 dash, long jump), Josh Walstrom (400 dash), Taylor Nelson (1600, 3200), Grace Jackson (pole vault) and Bree Thieschafer (pole vault, long jump) earned spots in the state qualifying meet.


Here's a video from after graduation on Friday night:


What's bogging me down on Tuesday night this week is graduation coverage. I'm not sure what I'll get published. The goal is at least to print a story from Mrs. Hagemeyer's keynote speech. It was a marvelous speech/presentation!!