NORTH MANKATO -- The Willmar bats were silent as Buffalo knocked the Cardinals out of the Section 2AAA softball tournament 5-0 Thursday.
Willmar (11-11) didn't have a threat on the bases until the fourth inning, then posted runners on first and second in the sixth and seventh to no avail.
"We just didn't connect at the right time," Willmar coach Brent Pederson said. "We started putting the bat on the ball harder in the sixth and seventh, but everything else was weak bloopers."
Buffalo (16-6) collected 11 hits and scored two runs in the first and three more in the second to take a 5-0 lead. But the Bison didn't get an extra-base hit.
"They were bloopers and bleeders. It was just one of those nights," Pederson said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bevin Williams got the only extra-base hit of the game with a double. Haylee Hastad, Sara Kallhoff, Brittney Hastad and Amanda Croonquist each had singles.
Miranda Speckel of Buffalo kept the Cardinals under control. She struck out seven and walked two.
Hanna Pederson went the distance for the Cardinals. She gave up five runs on 11 hits and walked one batter.
Buffalo 5, Willmar 0
Willmar 000 000 0 -- 0 5 3
Buffalo 230 000 0 -- 5 11 0
HITTING - Willmar: Haylee Hastad 1-for-3; Sara Kallhoff 1-for-2; Brittney Hastad 1-for-3; Bevin Williams 1-for-3, 2b; Amanda Croonquist 1-for-3 ... Buffalo: April Schmitz 2-for-4; Dani Iverson 2-for-4; Taylor Johnson 2-for-3
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) -- Willmar: Hanna Pederson (L) 7-11-5-3-1-0 ... Buffalo: Miranda Speckel (W) 7-5-0-0-2-7
