Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms softball team downs NRHEG 6-5 in 8 innings Monday

The Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms softball team was back at home Monday and looking to keep their record unblemished versus NRHEG in a Gopher Confernence matchup, and in a game that saw the Panthers rally to tie the game at 5-5 with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, it was the Blossoms pushing across a run in the bottom of the eighth to win in walk-off fashion 6-5.

The Blossoms trailed 1-0 before breaking through with four runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead, and after NRHEG scored two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Blossoms lead to 4-3, BP answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to lead 5-3 before the late-game heroics from both teams in the seventh and eighth innings.

Third baseman Shawntee Snyder helped to lead the way at the plate for Blooming Prairie Monday by going 3 for 3 with a double and two runs scored, leadoff hitter Macy Lembke was 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, centerfielder Layla Lembke went 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI, rightfielder Anna Haberman was 1 for 4 for the game with a run knocked in, and centerfielder Ella Smith was 1 for 4 in the extra-inning win.

Lembke earned the win in the circle for BP as she gave up the five Panther runs, three earned on eight hits in eight innings of work, striking out two and walking one as the Blossoms totaled six runs, eight hits, four errors and seven runners left on base, while NRHEG wound up with five runs on eight hits, two errors and seven left on base as well.

With the win, Blooming Prairie is now 7-0 on the season, and it will be a battle of the unbeatens in Randolph Thursday as the Blossoms will take on the Rockets, who were State Class A Consolation champs last year.  First pitch in Randolph Thursday is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.