Beckman capitalizes as an error opens the door in regional softball quarterfinal

MANCHESTER — Dyersville Beckman's game-breaking rally came from humble beginnings.

With two outs and nobody on in the top of the third inning, Beckman capitalized on an error in a major way, tallying four unearned runs and knocking off West Delaware, 4-1, in a Class 3A softball regional quarterfinal Tuesday night at Sill Field.

'It's crazy how things get rolling sometimes,' said Heather Boeckenstedt, whose two-run double was the big blow. 'We got an opportunity, and we had to take advantage.'

The Blazers (16-20) followed an error and a walk with four straight hits — their only four hits of the game. As a reward, they'll face No. 1 Davenport Assumption (34-3) at 7 p.m. Friday at Davenport.

Assumption, the defending state champion, handled Northeast, 7-0.

The Blazers aren't scared.

'They'll be an awesome opponent. I love it,' Beckman Coach Ryan Meissner said. 'All we have to think about is being the best team on the field in one game Friday.'

Sydney Steffen followed Boeckenstedt's double with an RBI triple, then scored on Maddison Welling's single. Steffen did the rest of her duty in the pitching circle, holding the Hawks (24-16) to four hits.

'I was really focusing on hitting my spots and finding the umpire's (strike) zone,' Steffen said.

'Our rally started with an error and a walk, and then Heather crushed the ball. Then we all had confidence with the bats.'

Hawks pitcher Macey Kleitsch retired the first eight batters she faced, then the final 11 she encountered. But Beckman's third-inning uprising was enough.

'These types of games come down to the little things,' Hawks Coach Tiffany Rave said. 'An error and a walk, then Beckman was able to take advantage.'

Two Beckman errors added up to West Delaware's lone run, in the bottom of the sixth. Claire Demmer had two hits for the Hawks.

DYERSVILLE BECKMAN 4, WEST DELAWARE 1

At Manchester

Beckman 004 000 0 — 4 4 2

West Delaware 000 001 0 — 1 4 2

Sydney Steffen and Kamryn Klas. Macey Kleitsch and Leah Wegmann. W — Steffen (14-11). L — Kleitsch (17-13).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com