Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms softball team edges Pine Island 6-5 in Section 1AA West tournament

The Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms softball team, the No. 5 seed in the Section 1AA West tournament traveled to No. 4 seed Pine Island for a quarterfinal matchup Monday, and it was the Blossoms holding off a Panther combeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh inning to win, 6-5.

The game was knotted at two apiece after six innings when the Blossoms plated four runs in the top of the seventh for a seemingly comfortable 6-2 lead, only to see Pine Island come back to score three runs of their own in their last at bat to cut the deficit to 6-5, but pitcher Haven Carlson and the Blooming Prairie defense were able to hold the Panthers off the scoreboard from there to hang on for the win.

Offensively for the Blossoms, leadoff hitter Macy Lembke led the way by going 2 for 4 with a double, three RBI’s and a run scored, Rachel Winzenburg also went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored, centerfielder Lauren Schammel was 2 for 4, third baseman Shawntee Snyder went 1 for 4 with a run knocked in, Lexi Steckelberg and Haven Carlson were both 1 for 2, and Ella Smith also scored a run in the win.

In the circle for Blooming Prairie, Haven Carlson pitched all seven innings and gave up the five Pine Island runs, two earned, on six hits, striking out five and walking five to earn the win.

The Blossoms are now 12-8 on the season, and BP returns to action today (Tuesday) in Zumbrota versus the top-seeded Cougars of Zumbrota/Mazeppa, with first pitch at 5 p.m.  A win for Blooming Prairie would put them in the Section 1AA West final in Pine Island on Thursday, May 25th versus either No. 2 seed Cannon Falls or No. 3 seed Dover/Eyota, while a loss would put them in the elimination bracket, also in Pine Island at 5 p.m. Thursday.