Photo by Brady Dennis New Ulm’s Lauren Schmiesing (far right) approaches her team to celebrate a home run during a Big South Conference softball game against Tri-City United Tuesday at New Ulm High School.

By Jeff Meder

sports@nujournal.com

NEW ULM – New Ulm faced Tri-City United on Tuesday in a Big South Conference softball doubleheader at New Ulm High School, winning the first game 10-2 and the second game 11-1 in five innings.

Ramsey Hopp was the winning pitcher. She went four innings, gave up no runs and she had five strikeouts. Miley Flor pitched three innings, giving up two runs on three hits, struck out four batters and walked one.

Maddy Backer drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the first inning. Backer scored later on Mackenzie Enter’s infield hit. Enter made it to second base on an overthrow to first base. Enter scored on a sacrifice, and New Ulm led 2-0.

The Eagles were aggressive on the bases the entire game. Starting pitcher Hopp pitched well, and the Eagle’s defense kept the Titans at bay for most of the contest.

In the bottom of the third, Backer walked. She stole second and she scored on Enter’s right-field single. Lauren Schmiesing hit the softball over the left field fence for a home run, and it was 4-0 for New Ulm.

The Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Bridgette Roiger started the scoring spree with a double to left-center field. Gracie Baker laid down a bunt which brought Roiger home. Courtesy runner Natalie Fischer took Baker’s place. Backer walked. Enter hit a double to right field which scored Fischer and Backer for a 7-0 lead. Schmiesing’s double to right field scored Enter, and it was 8-0 Eagles.

Avery Lerfald got a double to the left-field fence in the top of the sixth inning. Lerfald scored on Laynee Blaschko’s triple for TCU’s first run. Biascko scored on Anne Cooper’s single to right field to cut the lead to 8-2

The Eagles ended the Titan’s threat with an excellent defensive play. TCU’s Taylor Haecherl tried to bunt, but Flor scooped up the ball, near home plate and threw it to Roiger at first.

Roiger threw the ball to Enter at second for the out on Cooper to complete the double play.

Enter got an infield hit to start the bottom of the sixth. Enter stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Hopp walked and moved to second a passed ball. Enter and Hopp scored on a TCU an error for New Ulm’s final two runs of the game.

In Game 2 at the plate, New Ulm totaled 15 hits, led by three hitters in Backer, Schmiesing and Baker, each with three hits. Baker drove in three runs, and Schmiesing drove in one. Schmiesing and Baker each had a double, while Enter had a triple and three RBIs.

Hopp started the game and pitched two innings, allowing two hits and no walks for one earned run while striking out three. Flor pitched three innings in relief and gave up three walks and a hit. New Ulm was led by a six-run third inning.

New Ulm (14-3, 10-1) will play at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday against Marshall at the Marshall Softball Complex.