Above: Senior Carly Puch was on the mound for the Vikings in a tough match against the McGregor Mercuries on Tuesday, April 27. Left: Freshman Cecilia Schnobrich at bat.
The Cook County softball team lost a tough home game last week against the McGregor Mercs, 10-6. The Vikings are now 2-7 on the season and have a daunting week ahead of them filled with five games in six days.
McGregor scored three runs in the top of the first when two hits combined with a walk and a Viking fielding error put the Vikings starting out on the wrong foot. TheMercs also stole four bases in the inning and Cook County trailed early, 3-0.
Brea Boomer started things off for the Vikings with a leadoff single. Boomer stole second base and then scored on a Carly Puch RBI single. The next three Vikings were retired, but Cook County was now within two runs, 3-1.
In the top of the second inning, McGregor scored another run to take a 4-1 lead. Despite facing seven hitters, Puch only allowed one run and the inning could have been much more disastrous for the Vikings.
Freshman CeCe Schnobrich added a run for Cook County in the bottom of the second when she hit a one-out single and then scored on a Signe Larson single. After two innings of play, the Vikings trailed 4-2.
Following a scoreless third inning for the Mercs, the Vikings added a run when Puch started off the inning with a hard hit ball to the second baseman who couldn’t field it cleanly. Puch scored when Kristina Rude smashed a double to bring Cook County within one, 3-4, after three innings of play.
After two walks and two strikeouts, Puch had runners on first and second with one out in the inning. McGregor’s junior catcher Sarah Sample then hit a three-run homer to extend the Merc’s advantage to 7-3.
Cook County was unable to score in the bottom of the fourth while the Mercs added a run in the top of the fifth to take an 8-3 advantage. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Rude scored when Chelsey Sorenson ripped a double as the Vikings now trailed 8-4.
A crucial fielding error hurt the Vikings in the top of the sixth, as McGregor was able to add two insurance runs. The Vikings were now trailing 10-4 with just six outs left in the game.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Boomer and Puch both hit singles. A McGregor fielding error helped Sammy Jacobsen reach base as both Boomer and Puch scored. A Viking strikeout ended the twoout rally and the Vikings were down 10-6.
Neither team scored in the seventh and McGregor held off Cook County for a 10-6 victory. For the game Boomer had three hits and scored two runs. Puch added two runs and two hits to highlight the box score for the Vikings.
Cook County is now 2-8 on the season. Thisweek the Vikings played in Silver Bay on Monday; in Moose Lake Tuesday; in Esko on Thursday; and they play in a tournament at Duluth Marshall that will include a game against Silver Bay. Look in next week’s edition for all the scores and highlights.
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