Photo by Samantha Davis. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton's Laken Baartman (17) and Jaida Fricke (5) go to hi-five one another at home plate after both scoring on the same play off a Kynsi VanderPlaats hit in the first inning against Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda Friday night in a Red Rock Conference game. The Knights defeated the Coyotes 14-4 in six innings.

TYLER — Laken Baartman’s versatility and the team’s infectious hitting led the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton softball team to a 14-4 mercy-rule win in six innings over Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda Friday night in a Red Rock Conference game. Baartman played three different positions throughout the game as pitcher, shortstop and catcher.

“I’m just willing to do whatever for the team. That was my first time starting pitching. I’ve pitched other innings before, but it was my first time starting, so it was fun,” Baartman said. “Then going to play short and catching is just awesome. I’m just glad to be a part of this team.”

RTR got the bats started early with four runs in the first inning, and didn’t have one scoreless frame on the night, before closing the game out with another four runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.

The Knights needed a single run, up 13-4, heading into the bottom of the sixth inning to end the game early. Elli Dybdahl got on base with a single line drive out to center field, and accounted for the final run after advancing to second and third base off a Bailey Weedman sacrifice hit and a pair of walks.

With one out, Paisley Thooft hit an infield single with bases loaded, and Dybdahl ran home safely for a 14-4 final score.

“I think we just wanted to come out right away and just go play our game, not worry about the other team … I think we did that,” Baartman said. “We got our bats going right away, and that’s what we wanted.”

Baartman started in the circle and threw for 2 2/3 innings, finishing with two strikeouts, four walks and two earned runs.

Jaida Fricke came in as relief for the final 3 1/3 innings, throwing seven strikeouts and no walks with one earned run.

Hits were transferable among the Knights, as Fricke, Baartman and Joee Thooft all had doubles. Thooft’s marked her first varsity hit of the season, urging the crowd to a large cheer.

Baartman went 3 for 4 at the plate with two RBIs, and Kynsi VanderPlaats had a team-high five RBIs off her two hits. She brought in the five runs between two each in the first and fifth innings, and one in the fourth, all off singles.

RTR’s first four runs to set the tone in the first inning came from Baartman, Fricke, Thooft and VanderPlaats.

“We always say that hitting is contagious,” Baartman said. “Once we get those first runs, we just wanted to keep going from there and not look back.”

Both Baartman and Fricke, who got on base with hits, ran home on the same play off a VanderPlaats fly ball to center field. Thooft and VanderPlaats herself also got home off a Taylin Thooft sacrifice and Payton Johansen hit.

Fricke relieved Baartman on the mound in the top of the third inning with two outs after HLOF brought in two runs, RTR up 5-2, and had bases loaded.

Fricke threw three straight strikes to finish the inning, preventing the Coyotes from possibly tying or taking a lead.

“That’s one thing [defense] we’ve kept working on all year,” Baartman said. “We want to limit the errors and play solid defense, and I think we really showed that tonight.”

The Knights continued to make contact with the ball and cruised through their batting lineup with another two runs in each the third and fourth innings.

HLOF was able to score a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to cut into a 9-4 deficit, yet it didn’t fluster RTR, who then embarked on its big fifth inning before holding the Coyotes runless in the sixth, allowing the Knights the opportunity to finish the night off.

RTR finished with 10 hits and two errors, to HLOF’s five hits and three errors.

RTR (6-11) next has a quick turnaround and will face Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley today in Graceville at 11:30 a.m.