FARGO – A fun-filled weekend of Midseason Madness began on Friday, as prep softball teams from around the area competed against some of the top talent in the state.

The Bottineau Stars (11-2 overall, 7-2 Region 3) got their weekend started with a matchup against the Grafton Spoilers (7-4 overall, 7-3 Region 2). Both teams enter play on an opposite stretch, as the Stars have won two in a row and the Spoilers have lost two in a row.

Not letting Grafton spoil their weekend fun, the Stars came out and shined on Friday afternoon, as Bottineau was able to avoid a late scare in a 13-10 win over Grafton, thanks to a balanced attack that had a variety of contributors.

Neither team waited long to start scoring, and the runs came in bunches early on. After Grafton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Stars didn’t have to swing the bat in their counterattack. Emma Rybchinski and Kaia Hennings were hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Halle Gullett walked with the bases loaded to give Bottineau a 3-1 advantage at the end of the first.

Keeping the strong start going, the Stars added four more runs in the bottom of the second as they ballooned their lead to 7-2. Morgan Schweitzer helped generate a run by being hit by a pitch, then stealing second and eventually scoring on a dropped third strike. Drew Marsden tripled home two more runs and stole home to highlight the Stars’ strong inning.

In the top of the fourth, the Spoilers plated three runs for their most productive inning, making it an 8-6 ballgame and nearly fighting all the way back from a big hole early on. The Stars, however, decided that was enough as they had their most productive inning in the bottom half of the frame.

A consecutive sequence that consisted of an RBI single from Camryn Tweed, a run-scoring groundout from Harleigh Parisien, a Jocelyn Jungling two-run double, and an RBI triple from Schweitzer helped Bottineau reach their run total in the game, as they claimed a 13-6 lead at the end of the fourth.

Making a late charge, the Spoilers got a two-run double from Addison Fredericksen in the top of the sixth and a two-run triple from Reese Olson in the top of the seventh, but that was all they were able to string together as Bottineau escaped with a 13-10 win on Friday afternoon.

It was a big day at the plate for the Stars, as every member in the starting lineup drove in a run and reached base at least once. From top to bottom, they utilized a balanced attack to win their third game in a row.

Jungling led the way by going 2-for-4 with a double, walk and two RBI, followed by Marsden who went 2-for-4 with a double, triple and two RBI, Schweitzer who went 1-for-2 with a triple and an RBI, and Hennings who went 1-for-1 with a walk and an RBI.

If the weather doesn’t change their plans, Bottineau’s next scheduled game is today at 10:30 a.m., where they will take on the Kindred/Richland Vikings.