Wildcats open with win over Cardinals

While much of the roster has changed, the end result was the same as the Blair-Taylor softball team began its season with a 9-2 win over Eleva-Strum on Friday.

The Wildcats have replaced all but two starters from last year’s team that advanced to the sectional final. Included is the pitcher position where Lindsay Steien and Abby Thompson have controlled the circle for the last three seasons. In her first varsity start, Maddie Frederixon struck out nine while walking five and allowing seven hits. Only one of the two runs scored by E-S was earned.

B-T took a 1-0 lead in the first when Elissa Smetana walked with the bases loaded. 

The Wildcats scored three in the third as Frederixon led off with a walk and scored on a fielder’s choice. Two more runs came in when Smetana hit into an error, putting B-T ahead 4-0.

Anna White singled in one run in the fourth before Andi Beck doubled in two to put the team ahead 7-0.

The Cardinals scored on an error and a single in the fifth, but B-T got that run back when White singled Frederixon home in the top of the sixth. They added another run when Andrea Waldera scored on a passed ball. 

Eleva-Strum scored again in the sixth, but that’s as close as they’d get. 

White had two of B-T’s five hits in the game as she had two RBIs and scored three runs. Frederixon also scored three runs, while Smetana led the team with three RBIs. Beck batted in two runs. 

The Wildcats were scheduled to host Osseo-Fairchild on Monday before playing in Whitehall on Tuesday; they’ll welcome Loyal on Thursday. They’re scheduled to hit the road next week with games at Melrose-Mindoro on Tuesday, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau on Thursday and Cochrane-Fountain City on Friday.