The Eagles showed the type of softball their head coach Kristi Andersen Loose is accustomed to seeing from her players as they rolled the Bluejays 14-0 in five innings of a Big South Conference game.

New Ulm lost at Jordan on Tuesday 17-2 in four innings, a tough reminder of the amount of talented vets graduated from last season’s section finals team. Thursday, the Eagles looked more like themselves, taking what their opponents gave them and then some.

“I think it was just kind of a neat little reset,” Andersen Loose said. “The girls just needed a reset, they needed a redo and a chance to just kind of go in and restart again. I don’t feel they had to recalibrate as far as their skills or talents or abilities all that much, it was just kind of a mental reset.

“We came into the Jordan game hot and ready to go and we just had some oopsies defensively, just couldn’t hold our own. Our bats ended up kind of falling apart. We’ll get to see Jordan again and that’s OK. But I’m just really proud of how the girls came out today to play and they really just got back into Eagles softball today.”

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Zoe Uhde slides into second safely during a Big South Conference softball game against Waseca on Thursday at New Ulm High School.

New Ulm had just two hits against Jordan and committed two errors also that led to runs in a 17-2 loss. Against the Bluejays, the Eagles were back in charge, racking up 16 hits and playing errorless softball.

Senior Lauren Schmiesing, who had one of New Ulm’s two hits against Jordan, led the Eagles on Thursday with a 4-for-4 day at the plate that included a double, a triple and six RBIs. As one of five seniors on team with several first-year varsity players, Schmiesing set the tone early in the first inning with an RBI double to left to score Gracie Baker, who went 2 for 3 with an RBI triple in the third.

“I just really want to step and take that role as that leader, that big sister that all these girls can look up to,” Schmiesing said. “I want to be that positive figure for all these girls and I feel our team is doing a great job with that — this team is there for each other and we all are being very positive.”

The Eagles pitching duo of Miley Flor and Megan Brudelie turned things around also Thursday after a rough first outing in Jordan. Both pitchers pitched two innings against Jordan, with Flor allowing five hits and four walks and Brudelie allowing one hit and 11 walks.

This time, both Flor and Brudelie got what they wanted with their control and defense behind them. Flor started and pitched three innings for the win, allowing three hits and two walks. Brudelie pitched the final two innings, striking out two while not allowing a baserunner.

The Eagles went up 3-0 in the first inning. Baker reached first and two second on an error before a strikeout brought Schmiesing up to bat for her first hit of the game, a double to left to bring in Baker. Flor collected a base hit that also led to a throwing error home, allowing her to take second and Schmiesing to score.

A wild pitch and an error allowed courtesy runner Karly Meier to score and make it 3-0.

The Eagles batted around in the second, third and fourth innings. A six-hit, four-run second inning gave them a 7-0 lead before a five-hit, four-run third inning made it 11-0 and a three-hit, three-run fourth made it 14-0.

The second inning was highlighted with a two-run single by Schmiesing, who took second on the throw home that scored Natalie Fischer. Fischer also had an RBI single in the inning.

The third saw an RBI triple from Baker and an RBI single from Schmiesing, while the fourth was highlighted by Schmiesing’s two-run triple.

“I just kind of go in with that mindset that I’m looking for my pitch at the plate,” Schmiesing said. “So when it comes up in there, knowing what pitch I’m gonna go for and really just zoning in on that pitch and just knowing kind of the situational stuff, too, out here, kind of what’s going on in the field. Also just going up there and having fun. This is the sport that I love, I love to do this. Kind of just going up there with that positive mindset, smiling, and going up there and knowing that it’s gonna be a fun time no matter what.”

Schmiesing wasn’t the only hot bat in the game for the Eagles, however, as senior Zoe Uhde was 3 for 4, Lily Poehler was 2 for 3. Fischer, Flor, Brudelie, Shelby Serbus and Lacey Sondag-Bode also each had a single in the game for the Eagles.

Flor threw strikes and trusted her defense behind her to much success. After giving up a bloop single to Ellery Waldron that dropped in the infield in the first inning, Flor didn’t have much trouble until the third inning with two outs. After a lineout to Schmiesing and flyout to center fielder Madalynn Olson, Hannah Sommers singled and was doubled to third by Waldron, who finished the game going 2 for 2 at the plate.

Flor forced a grounder to second baseman Poehler, however, who threw to first baseman Udhe for the final out. Udhe made a nice diving catch at first to end the top of the fourth also and give Brudelie her first of two 1-2-3 innings in the game.

Waseca put two pitchers in the circle also, with Avery Barto getting the start and taking the loss in a 1 1/3 innings. She allowed six hits and no walks while striking out one. Hannah Rugger pitched the final 2 2/3 innings for Waseca, allowing 10 hits and three walks while striking out two.

Waseca fell to 0-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big South, while New Ulm moved to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference. The Eagles will play at St. Peter on Friday.