Beulah holds off Thompson for Class B state softball title
Jun. 3—MINOT — Thompson's run in the North Dakota Class B state softball tournament came up just short Saturday.
The Tommies, unranked in the bracket, beat two of the top three seeds to reach the state title game but fell 5-3 to No. 1 Beulah in the championship at Scheels Softball Complex.
Beulah's Taylor Christensen, later named the league's senior player of the year, limited Thompson to five hits and struck out 12.
Nobody ended with multiple hits for Thompson, which was led by a triple by Marleigh Kurtz and a double from Olivia Dick.
Beulah started strong with three runs in the bottom of the third. The Beulah attack was led by Elli Weidner, who was 3-for-3 and Cali Steffan, who was 2-for-4.
Sydney Schwabe took the pitching loss for the Tommies.
No matter who won between Thompson and Beulah, it was going to be a change of pace from the history of sanctioned North Dakota Class B softball.
The sport was first sanctioned in 2012. Enderlin/Maple Valley won the first state title in 2012 but Central Cass and Kindred-Richland have taken turns winning every other state title in the sport's brief history.
Thompson was also state runner-up in 2021.
Beulah becomes the first winner from the western side of North Dakota.
Hillsboro-Central Valley coach Cory Erickson was named state coach of the year after the game.
