Posted: 5/10/06
Vikings fall to Panthers and Simley in Sauk Rapids tournament
 Shortstop Maggie Johnson throws a softball towards first base during a game against Fridley May 2 in North Branch. |
By Steve Morris
Maybe the Vikings softball team was too worried about the upcoming prom. For one reason or another, their bats were stone cold. As a result their seven-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt.
The win streak ended May 1 with a 10-0 loss to Benilde St. Margaret. The Vikings managed only three hits.
ìAfter a scoreless third inning, the roof fell in on us as the Knights scored seven runs on six hits to lead 8-0,î head coach Larry Brodin said.
Both teams were entering the game hot. Benilde St. Margaret had won seven of its last nine games and the Vikings had a commendable streak of their own.
Tiffany Good started the game and took the loss for the Vikings. Good gave up seven runs on nine hits in three innings pitched. Steph Saxe pitched the final two innings.
ìThey hit the ball as well as any team we faced this year and hit in all spots of the order,î Brodin said.
The Knights seemed to find all the gaps in the Vikings defense. The Vikings played well defensively, only committing one error.
Brodin is taking the loss in stride. He said, ìNow weíll just have to turn around and start a new win streak.î
On May 2 the Vikings beat Fridley 11-0. Two days later on May 4, the girls played conference leader Cooper and lost 4-2.
Good pitched five innings and gave up seven hits and four runs. Saxe relieved her and pitched the final inning.
ìShe [Good] pitched a good game against a good team; we just needed to get her a few more runs,î Brodin said.
The Vikings had runners in scoring positions in the fifth, sixth and seventh inning but were not able to knock them in.
Defensively, the Vikings committed two errors and were able to squeak out of a couple of jams.
Danni Sonnenfeld and Saxe each went two for four at the plate.
Sauk Rapids Tournament
The Vikings played three games at the Sauk Rapids Tournament May 6. They had a tough tournament. The Vikings were held scoreless in two of the three games.
First they played the tournament host Sauk Rapids and won 7-4.
Maggi Johnson went four for four at the plate with three RBIs; Megan Ranger went three for four with two RBIs; Sonnenfeld went two for four with two RBIs.
Saxe started the game on the mound and went five innings giving up four runs on three hits with three strike outs. Good took over in the sixth to end the game.
For their next game, against Spring Lake Park, the Vikings had a slipshod performance. and committed six errors for a 10-0 loss.
ìThis was a tough one for us,î Brodin said. ìWe just didnít seem focused and certainly didnít play a solid game this time.î
The Vikings had five hits off the Pantherís pitcher.
The Vikings played Spring Lake Park earlier in the season and won by one run.
In their final game of the tournament, the Vikings lost to Simley 6-0.
The story line to this game was the fact that Spring Lake Park had only one earned run. The Vikings committed three errors. ìDefensively the Vikes committed three errors in the game but all three were costly as they all led to runs,î Brodin said.
Saxe took the loss for the Vikings, giving up three hits.
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