WELLS — Hitting became contagious for the Bay College Norse in the second game of a softball doubleheader here Thursday as they posted a 12-2 triumph in five innings over Dakota County (Minn.) Technical College.

Dakota County won the opener 5-3.

The teams return to Wells Township Field for another twinbill today at noon.

Bay collected 11 hits, including six home runs, in the nightcap with Sarah Wynn’s three-run shot to centerfield breaking a scoreless tie in the third.

Following a short rain delay, Escanaba graduate and sophomore Lexi Chaillier clubbed a solo home run to left for a 4-0 lead and Gladstone grad Taelor Zeise’s solo shot to left gave the Norse a five-run cushion.

“I think we were kind of mad at ourselves after the first game,” Chaillier said, noting the Norse were down 4-0 at one time. “We felt we didn’t play very well, and a bad first inning cost us. We played with more intensity in the second game. We’re the type of team when one person starts hitting, others will start hitting. We knew this mattered for seeding (for next week’s Region 13 East sub-regional tournament).

Lillian Barnes then scored Dakota County’s first run on a sacrifice fly to center by sophomore Elizabeth Lehrer in its half of the third.

The Norse (15-21) responded with four runs in the fourth, making it 6-1 on Korey Kaukola’s homer to left and raising the count to 9-1 on Zeise’s three-run blast to left.

Bonnie Cortinas scored Bay’s 10th run on a throwing error in the fifth, and Chaillier added a two-run shot to left.

“The first game wasn’t our best performance, although they’re a good team,” said Bay assistant coach Ross Rahoi. “We made some adjustments and got better at-bats in the second game. Their pitcher (Natalie Nusbaum) had a nice riseball, and we tried to force her to bring the ball down into the zone.”

Kaukola, Wynn, Chaillier and Zeise and Jenna Tardiff had two hits each for the Norse. Lehrer and Julia Offerdahl had two apiece for the Blue Knights (19-3).

“They did a great job,” said Dakota County manager Tom Cross. “Our pitcher threw strikes, but they have some good hitters, and they’re explosive. We kind of controlled the first game, then they scored a couple runs and gained some momentum. We’re okay. We just have to regroup and come back here ready to play.”

Winning pitcher Hannah Edington sidelined much of this season with a broken wrist, struck out one, walked one and allowed two runs on seven hits.

Nusbaum fanned six, walked five and surrendered 12 runs on 11 hits in a complete-game effort.

After falling behind by four runs early in the opener, the Norse scored twice in the fifth frame and got a run in the seventh on Chaillier’s second hit, a single to left.

Karlie Patron took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits.

Courtney Heagle, who became the winning pitcher, limited the Norse to five hits.