Vikings finish 1-3 on ball diamond

The Colfax softball team had eight games scheduled for the week, but after playing a pair of double headers under sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s, two more double headers were postponed due to 10 inches of snow that fell in the area May 2-3. After losing a heartbreaker 1-0 to to Elmwood/Plum City on the road in the first game of a doubleheader April 29, they came back for a 6-3 win in the nightcap, then dropped both games to conference leading Pepin at home April 30 by scores of 4-1 and 8-1. Games against Glenwood City May 2 and Elk Mound May 3 did not take place and the Elk Mound game has been changed to May 10 at 4:30 in Colfax.

 Elmwood/Plum City – Game 1

Colfax started their Monday off with quiet bats as they collected only three hits off E/PC pitcher McKayla Brunner, including singles by Alexis Rudi and  Lakken Meredith and a double by Sam Simonson. The hits were not bunched together however, and Brunner struck out 11 Viking batters throughout the game. E/PC scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning when their leadoff batter reached on a Colfax error and scored on a pair of hits.

Rudi took the tough loss on the mound, giving up just four hits with one strikeout and no walks.

Colfax             0 0 0 0 0 – 0

Elmwood/PC  0 0 0 1 X – 1

Elmwood/Plum City – Game 2

After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Viking bats came alive in the bottom of the inning as Karina Wait led off with a triple and scored on a Rudi base hit. Simonson reached on a fielder’s choice, Emily Tuschl drew a walk and both runners came in on a Meredith double for a 3-2 Colfax lead.

Courtney Ottinger started the second inning with a double for the Vikings and came home on a base hit by Wait, who ended up scoring on a ground ball off the bat of Rudi for a 5-2 lead. Colfax added their final run in the fourth when Tiernee Knutson drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on singles from Wait and Rudi, then came home on a sacrifice fly by Mallie Doucette. Rudi, who pitched the whole game again, gave up a run in the fifth inning, but then took care of matters by striking out three straight batters to end the game.

“Alexis pitched very well in both games but we could not get a good at bat when we needed it in the first game for her,” coach Joe Doucette said. “In the second game, Alexis and Karina were tough, hitting at the top of the order. Defensively, we were pretty good but we have room for improvement.”

Rudi gave up three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and four walks in the win.

Elmwood/PC    2  0  0  1  0 – 3

Colfax               3  2  0  1  X – 6

Pepin – Game 1

Trying to connect on one of the best pitchers in the conference, that being Breanna Ellison, the Vikings were held hitless until the fourth inning. The Lakers were up 4-0 by that time, scoring all their runs on just three hits as they took advantage of several walks and wild pitches.

Wait led off the fourth for the Vikings with a single over first base, moved to second on a base hit through the infield by Rudi, tagged up on a fly ball off the bat of Doucette to get to third and crossed the plate on a ground out by Simonson. That’s all the offense they could mount the rest of the way, however.

Rudi started on the mound but had some arm problems and was relieved by Meredith in the third inning. Rudi gave up two runs on two hits with four walks while Meredith also gave up two runs with one hit and one walk. Ellison struck out seven Vikings and did not walk any in the five innings.

Pepin     1  1  2  0  0 – 4

Colfax    0  0  0  1  0 – 1

Pepin – Game 2

After holding the Lakers scoreless in the final two innings of the first game, the Vikings were hoping to gain some momentum by that in the second one. As the visiting team this game, Wait reached first on an error by the right fielder, but the fielder made up for it as she made a pair of snazzy catches for the next two outs. A strikeout followed to end any threat of scoring.

Meredith started in the circle but had control problems, and with three walks, a couple of bunts and stolen bases, Pepin took a 3-0 lead without a hit.They increased the lead to 8-0 in the third, again taking advantage of several walks and wild pitches combined with a pair of solid shots through the infield.

Doucette ended the no hitter and shutout for Ellison with a drive over the centerfield fence in the fourth inning for the only run of the game for the Vikings. Knutson, now on the mound for Colfax, shut the Lakers down in their final at bat and three Colfax pinch hitters had a chance to take some swings off Ellison but didn’t have much luck as two struck out and one grounded out to end the game.

“Ellison was the difference today,” coach Doucette said. “We hit some balls hard but had only three hits in 10 innings off of her. Our pitching staff only gave up seven hits but we walked too many. Nine of Pepin’s 12 runs came by someone who had walked. We played pretty good defense with only one error in each of the two games. If we get healthy in our pitching staff we have a chance to win some games,” he added.

Meredith absorbed the loss, giving up eight runs on two hits with eight walks and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Knutson allowed one hit with one base on balls in 1 1/3 innings.

Colfax    0  0  0  1  0 – 1

Pepin     3  5  0  0  X – 8