Aubrey Hanson pitches, homers in Bemidji softball win over Grand Rapids

Aubrey Hanson gave Bemidji exactly the kind of all-around performance that can change a season, pitching five innings and hitting her first career varsity home run in a 12-1 win over Grand Rapids at Bemidji High School.

Hanson’s two-run blast helped the Jacks build a 3-0 lead after the second inning, and the long ball was a surprise even to her. She initially thought the ball was a pop-up before windy conditions at the Bemidji High School softball field carried it over the fence, leaving teammates stunned as the play turned into the first varsity homer of her career.

In the circle, Hanson kept Grand Rapids in check. She allowed one run on five hits over five innings and struck out four as Bemidji finished the game by run rule. The victory paired the kind of pitching coach Brad Takkunen wanted with timely offense, and it gave Bemidji a decisive result at home against a Grand Rapids team that never found a way to close the gap.

The game also fit a broader pattern for Bemidji as the season has moved forward. Hanson had already shown her value in the circle when Bemidji earned its first win of the season on April 11 with an 11-4 victory over St. Cloud, striking out six batters and getting the win. That earlier outing, followed by the Grand Rapids performance, suggests Bemidji is starting to find more than one way to win.

That matters for a team listed at 3-4 overall after the Grand Rapids game. Early-season losses to Wayzata and Sauk Rapids-Rice showed how quickly momentum can slip, but the latest win offered a sharper answer to the bigger question facing Bemidji softball: whether younger players can take on larger roles and help deliver important results when the schedule tightens.

Takkunen said Bemidji’s pitching and defense helped the offense relax at the plate, and Hanson’s day captured that balance better than any box score line could. One player controlled the game in both directions, and Bemidji left Tuesday with a win that pointed toward a deeper, more versatile roster heading into the next stretch.