The Burnsville softball team is already halfway to its entire win total of last season, opening the season winning three of its first four games.
The Blaze was handed its first loss April 18, falling 15-6 at Prior Lake in South Suburban Conference play. Burnsville opened the SSC season April 13 with a 12-2 league win over Apple Valley in the TCO Dome in Lakeville.
The Blaze followed with two non-conference home wins, 9-6 versus Bloomington Kennedy April 13 and 8-4 over Tartan April 17.
Burnsville was 6-17 overall spring, 3-14 in the SSC. The program’s last winning season in 2017 went it finished 15-8.
In the loss to Prior Lake, the Blaze fell behind 10-0 after four innings and couldn’t recover. Ninth-grader Miley LaMotte took the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) in 1 2/3 innings.
Senior Taylor Larson doubled and drove in a run at the plate for Burnsville, while junior Alex Gerber was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Senior Lily Kuziej also drove in two runs, while senior Sidney LaMotte and ninth grader Brooke Gerber were both 1 for 3 with a run scored.
In beating Tartan, junior Emma Debilzan worked six innings to get the win, giving up four runs. Brooke Gerber pitched one scoreless frame.
Sidney LaMotte finished 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs at the plate, while Brooke Gerber went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Sophomores Tori Gromacki and Kate Dam also had RBIs.
Against Kennedy, Sidney LaMotte again powered the offense. She homered, finishing 1 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Dam had three doubles, going 3 for 4 with an RBI, while Alex Gerber was 2 for 3 with a double and a run knocked in.
Larson also doubled and scored a run for the Blaze, while Kuziej finished 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Debilzan tossed a complete game, allowing six runs (two earned) with four strikeouts.
The Blaze will end the regular season May 17 at home to Lakeville South in league action. Section 3AAAA play starts May 23 with the title game June 2. East Ridge is the defending champ.
This year’s Class 4A state tournament will be June 8-9 at its annual site, Caswell Park in Mankato.
