With a Viking runner on third, Harleigh Lindquist got set to smack the ball in her turn at bat in a recent home game.
It’s that time of season again. Time to make up softball games postponed earlier because of snow or rain. This last week the Vikings played three games and have two more to go (after press time) as the season winds down.
Vikings lost close game to McGregor
Finally, the Vikings’ bats, which have been somewhat lethargic this season, came alive in a game. Hits popped in the field like wild spring flowers, but in the end, the Vikings couldn’t quite score enough runs to defeat the McGregor Mercs in a home game played Thursday, May 11.
Batting first, McGregor scored one run but the Vikings fought back and scored two in the bottom half of the first and tacked on five more in the second.
McGregor battled back.
“They never lost focus and kept chipping away at the lead until they had a big inning in the fifth inning,” said Viking coach Peter Lucken.
In the seventh inning the Vikings rallied, loading up the bases, but ran out of gas as the Mercs took the game 15-10.
After the game coach Peter Lucken said, “McGregor is a pretty good team and we held it with them. It was a tough loss and the girls felt it. We had a few miscued plays in tough situations and they capitalized but the girls played a good game.
“We hit the ball really well today. We had a fantastic approach at the plate and we drove a bunch of balls into the gaps. Alyssa Spry had a couple of huge fly balls with one falling in for a double. Maranda Deschampe hit her second triple of the season. We need to carry this momentum to tomorrow’s game in Two Harbors.”
Vikings fall to Two Harbors
Facing Two Harbors pitcher Ayla Lemke is always tough for the Vikings. The tall right-hander throws hard and has good control. She’s tough to get a hit off of, let alone score runs against.
It wasn’t much different on May 12 as the Vikings made the 85-mile trip down the shore to play the Agates and lost 12-2. Lemke struck out seven Vikings and gave up four hits.
Alyssa Spry had the best day at the plate against Lemke. Spry was 2-3 with a double. Maranda Deschampe and Abbie Crawford also got doubles in the game.
Ariana Poyierer took the loss from the mound for the Vikings.
Vikings lose to Moose Lake/Willow River
The Vikings lost Monday, May 15, 16-0 to a hard-hitting Moose Lake Willow team. The Vikings never threatened in the four-inning affair.
“We started off pretty decent only allowing one run in the first,” said head coach Peter Lucken. “However, something changed in the second inning. We had some missed plays in the field and they are a really hard-hitting team.”
On Friday, May 19 the Vikings played a doubleheader against Cromwell and Floodwood in Cromwell.
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