G-H ends Bulldogs' season of dreams

Staff

Published Saturday, July 31, 2004

By Jim Lutgens, Tribune Sports Editor

LAKE MILLS, Iowa - The Lake Mills Bulldogs had a remarkable season in 2004, winning 29 consecutive games and taking the championship in six tournaments.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, one of those tournaments was not the regional.

After winning the district championship with a 3-1 triumph over Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock, coach Jim Boehmer's Bulldogs saw their season end short of the state tournament with a tough 12-inning 4-3 loss to Garner-Hayfield.

Megan Pederson and Mindy Bjelland pitched the Bulldogs past Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock in the district final, combining on a three-hitter. Pederson struck out four, walked none and hit two batters in five innings to improve her record to 15-4. Bjelland had three strikeouts and no walks in two innings of relief to earn a save.

Molly Nelson had two hits, Jaci Grotewold one hit and two RBIs. Adding one hit each were Melissa Brackey, Krishna Johnson and Cristy Nelson.

The loss to Garner-Hayfield was a heartbreaker. G-H tied it with three runs in the top of the seventh and won it with one in the 12th.

Pederson pitched the first six innings, fanning six and walking one. Bjelland went the rest of the way and took the loss.

Grotewold led the offense with three hits, one of them a triple. Staci Gaskill and Brackey each had two hits, Laura Fjelstad, Bjelland and Nelson one each.

Garner-Hayfield improved its record to 23-11 while the Bulldogs finished 38-7.

In addition to the district, the Bulldogs also won tournament titles at Greene, Lake Mills, Northwood-Kensett, North Central and Armstrong.

The Bulldogs had seven all-conference selections in Bjelland, Brackey, Fjelstad, Gaskill, Grotewold, Johnson and Cristy Nelson. Emily Neuwohner and Molly Nelson received honorable mention.

(Contact Jim Lutgens at tribsports@albertleatribune.com or 379-3437.)

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---