Staff photo by Steve Muscatello Members of the New Ulm Cathedral softball team wait for Lauryn Franta (3) to reach home plate after she hit a two-run home run during the Greyhounds playoff win against Buffalo Lake-Hector-Steart Thursday at Harman Park in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — Lauryn Franta’s two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning helped top-seeded New Ulm Cathedral (17-2) defeat Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 2-0 on Thursday in Section 2A playoff action. It was Cathedral’s 13th consecutive win.

Emily Schommer walked and Lily Brennan entered the game as a courtesy runner. Josie Pautzke sacrificed Brennan to second and Franta belted an Alexandria Maiers pitch over the left field fence.

“Lauryn has been hitting the ball well lately,” Cathedral head coach Jamie Portner said. “We had some good defensive plays and Josie pitched well.”

Pautzke earned the win. She pitched seven innings, gave up three hits and she struck out eight.

Maiers took the loss, going seven innings, giving up two runs on four eights with six walks and eight strikeouts.

One of the defensive plays that Cathedral made was in the top of the first inning. Jadah Borth singled and two plays later, Maiers hit the ball in the air to left field. Borth tried to score, but a Cathedral fielder gunned the ball to catcher Emily Schommer, who tagged out Borth.

Pautzke struck out five of the six batters that she faced over two innings.

That performance by the Greyhounds kept BLHS off balance for the rest of the game. The Mustangs had only one runner reach as far as second base.

Shay Ubl was 1 for 2 for Cathedral.

Borth and Leslie Rodriguez both were 1 for 3 for BLHS.

Cathedral will now face Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Caswell Park in North Mankato.