The short trip from the on-deck circle to the batter’s box felt like it was a mile long for the Velva/Drake-Anamoose junior during the Aggies’ 9-8 win over the Bishop Ryan softball team at home. Tied at 8-8 in the bottom of the seventh inning with a runner in scoring position and one out, Blumhagen had a golden opportunity to give the Aggies a statement victory over the Lions.

The nerves were undeniable.

“I was freaking out a little bit,” Blumhagen said. “But I knew I had to stay strong, wait for my pitch and just get a nice swing on it.”

It’d been an up-and-down game for VDA leading up to the key at-bat. After claiming an early 4-1 advantage, the Aggies quickly saw their lead evaporate in the fifth inning when the Lions exploded for five runs.

Justin Martinez/MDN VDA junior Kaylee Blumhagen connects on what proved to be the game-winning hit during the Aggies’ 9-8 win over Bishop Ryan on Tuesday.

Ryan senior Abbie McKay cut the deficit to just one with a single to right field that brought two teammates home, and freshman Brynn Lawson sent a shot into the same area on the next at-bat. This time the ball rolled past VDA right fielder Jazmine Beardsley and allowed two runs to score.

Lawson reached third base for a triple, and senior Sidney Lovelace brought her home on the next at-bat with an RBI single to give the Lions a 6-4 edge.

But VDA recovered.

Now in the bottom of the sixth inning with runners on first and second, junior Ryan Bodine delivered. The catcher connected on a pitch from Lovelace and sent it into the outfield, allowing two runners ample time to reach home safely and tie the game.

Junior Hailey Wright put the Aggies back on top soon after with an RBI groundout, and freshman Halle Keller pushed the lead to 8-6 on the next at-bat with an RBI single in what was a four-run inning.

“Ryan is a tough team,” VDA head coach Fred Mueller said. “They hit the ball very well. We knew we were going to have to make plays because they’re going to come back at you no matter what the score is.”

The Lions now found themselves needing two runs in the top of the seventh inning to stay alive, and they got exactly that.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Lovelace stayed patient on a full-count pitch and was rewarded with a fourth ball from Velva ace Emma Passa to bring in a run.

Now trailing 8-7, the Lions caught a break. A pitch from Passa zipped past Bodine and allowed the game-tying run to come in, forcing the Aggies’ bats to get it done in the bottom of the seventh.

That’s when Blumhagen pulled off some late-game magic.

The junior bided her time in the box, pulled the trigger on a throw from Lovelace and sent a line drive into the outfield. The crowd erupted as the game-winning run came home with ease, giving the Aggies the 9-8 win.

Blumhagen briefly stopped at second base, still in a bit of shock, before her ecstatic teammates called her in from the dugout. The junior then rushed over and celebrated with them in a cluster of white-and-blue jerseys.

“I didn’t know what was going on,” Blumhagen said with a laugh. “I was just in the moment, I guess. But I was just happy to know that I got up to the plate and did what I needed to do.”

Blumhagen finished with an RBI and a run on 3-for-5 hitting. McKay and Lawson each recorded two RBIs and a run for the Lions on 1-for-3 and 1-for-4 hitting, respectively.

For the Aggies, the win against the Lions provides some invaluable momentum with the sub-regional tournament approaching.

“This helps us tremendously,” Mueller said. “To be able to come out here and get a win against a good team like (Ryan) just shows that we’re where we need to be. We still need to fine-tune a few things, but I’m really proud of the girls.”

Justin Martinez covers Minot High School sports and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JTheSportsDude.