Making a great slide into third base, Abbie Crawford just beat the catcher’s tag and was safe. Staff photo/Laurie Johnson
With the first five games cancelled because of bad weather, it was a welcome relief for the Vikings’ young fast pitch softball team to start playing games.
The girls played a home game April 18 game against Wrenshall and came within a whisker of winning, falling 8-7 late in the contest.
“Emma Smith pitched and was doing really well but ran out of gas,” said head coach Jessie Anderson. “We were really evenly matched, but we just let the game get away from us in the last inning.”
Alyssa Spry got two hits and stole a couple of bases, said Anderson, adding, “Amy Carpenter hit the ball hard and Charlet Waver got a hit in her first ever at bat. Abbie Crawford also got a hit for the Vikings.”
Errors sink Vikings in loss to the Mariners
On Monday, April 22 the girls played Silver Bay at home in a spirited game of friendly rivals.
Abbie Crawford was on the mound for the Vikings. “Abby pitched well but we had a lot of errors,” said Anderson, adding, “Both teams actually had a lot of errors.”
The game was pretty even for the first four innings. However, the Mariners scored two runs in the sixth and three in the seventh while holding the Vikings, who had scored seven runs in the first three innings, to one run the last inning. The Vikings fell 11-8.
“Alyssa Spry hit a nice triple and Katie Peck tripled with a hard shot down the right field line,” said Anderson. “We got on base a lot on errors and walks, but we didn’t hit very well. We’re a young team and we’re figuring out things as we go.”
Vikings fall to Esko
Emma Smith started on the mound and held the mighty Esko Eskimos scoreless through 32/3 innings before tiring and had to be replaced with Abbie Crawford.
“Emma pitched really well and our defense played much better against Esko. They really hit the ball hard but we were making plays in the field, which was nice to see,” said Anderson.
“I was really proud of how our girls played. Esko scored some runs but overall we played well. Their pitcher was faster than any pitcher we have faced this year and she shut us down. Charlet Waver got a hit in the last inning to break up her no-hitter.”
Esko scored six runs in the contest and won 6-0.
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