Prep Softball: Pine River-Backus uses second inning outburst to maul Verndale, 17-10

Pine River-Backus exploded for 11 runs in the second inning as the Tigers went on to defeat Verndale 17-10 in a non-conference game Friday.

Tatum Sheley highlighted the Tigers’ second inning outburst with a three-run home run and numerous Verndale errors in the frame led to three additional Tiger scores.

Megan Felhous hit a two-run single and drove in another with a fielders choice as Pine River-Backus sent 16 batters to the plate. Katie Wangberg and Nicole Tulenchik both added doubles and Morgan Demars had a RBI single for the Tigers.

Verndale whittled the Tigers’ big lead down to a run in the bottom of the fifth. Kirsten Korfe led off the frame with a double and scored on back-to-back wild pitches. Mara Kern was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in another run that made it a one-run ballgame, 11-10.

Pine River-Backus ended up putting the game out of reach with a five-run seventh. Sheley drove in two runs with her two-out base hit and back-to-back RBI singles from Wangberg and Autumn Ackerman capped the scoring.

Verndale scattered 10 hits and had four doubles in the loss. Teresa Moenkedick went 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Elizabeth Johnson (2RBI) and Lizzy Yungbauer (RBI) both collected two hits and a double apiece.

The Tigers were led by Wangberg, who went 4-for-6 with a double, run and two RBIs. Sheley drove in five runs and Felhous four.

Both teams combined for 28 hits as Ackerman walked 14 and struck out three to pick up the win for the Tigers. Korfe walked 10 and struck out two in taking the loss for Verndale.

Verndale (2-16) hosts Pillager at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Pine River-Backus at Verndale on May 13
Tigers 17, Lady Pirates 10
PR-B 0 11 0 0 0 1 5—17 18 1
Verndale 2 3 0 3 2 0 0—10 10 6
WP: Autumn Ackerman (PR-B) 7IP, 10H, 10R, 10ER, 14BB, 3K
LP: Kirsten Korfe (Verndale) 7IP, 18H, 17R, 11ER, 10BB, 2K
Pine River-Backus—Morgan Demars 3-6, R, RBI; Tatum Sheley 2-4, 2R, HR, 5RBI; Katie Wangberg 4-6, R, 2B, 2RBI; Ackerman 1-6, RBI; Nicole Tulenchik 2-4, 3R, 2B; Caroline Welsand 3-5, 2R; Megan Felhous 3-5, 2R, 4RBI
Verndale—Teresa Moenkedick 4-5, 2R, 2B; Elizabeth Johnson 2-4, 2R, 2B, 2RBI; Korfe 1-5, R, 2B; Lizzy Yungbauer 2-2, 2R, 2B, RBI; Jordy Schluttner 1-4, R