Lady Bulldogs Still Perfect On The Season

May 16

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

CARLTON – It has been a long time since the Carlton Bulldogs have started the season in girls softball undefeated. So long that most people can’t remember if or when Carlton has ever started 10-0. In 2009, the Bulldogs won 12 straight games, but that was during the course of the season and not from the start. Carlton lost in the section semi-finals that season to eventual section champion Silver Bay. With the win, the Bulldogs also ended a 17 game losing streak to the Bombers.

The Bulldogs managed to jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, they added a second run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-0 lead. The Bombers answered right back in the top of the fourth inning by scoring two runs to tie the game at 2-2 entering the fifth inning. Carlton broke the 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning as Megan Nelson crushed a two run home run that put Carlton ahead for good in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Carlton added one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the final margin of 5-2 on the afternoon, as the Bulldogs move to 10-0 overall on the season and move to 6-0 in the Polar League. The Bombers fall to an overall record of 9-3 on the season and drop to 6-1 in the conference. The Bulldogs will capture the conference title outright on Wednesday if they can defeat the Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels.

The Bulldogs continue to also play extremely well defensively as they have only allowed ten runs all season long. Megan Bodin also continues to excel on the pitcher’s mound, still undefeated and allowing only one run per outing. Barnum finished with six hits on the afternoon; Kerra Rowell was 3-3 with a double and a RBI. Despite pitching a very solid game, Lauren Hultgren was the losing pitcher for Barnum.

The Bulldogs were led by Megan Nelson and her big two run home run as she also added a double in the game and finished with three runs batted in. McKinzie Belanger added a double in the game for Carlton and added two hits in the Bulldogs tenth straight win. Bodin was the winning pitcher for Carlton.

The Bulldogs will be in action again on Tuesday when they will travel to
Floodwood to face the
Polar Bears
in a Huge
Polar League
contest.
The Bulldogs originally scheduled
Tuesday
contest against Nashwauk-Keewatin has been cancelled.
Carlton will close out their regular season on Wednesday when they host the Rebels at Chub Lake Park. Barnum falls to 9-3 on the season and will close their regular season on Tuesday when they face the Bombers of Braham at home.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com