Skip to content

Colfax softballers split six games

The Colfax softball team wasted little time in getting down to business.

After playing just one contest in its first three weeks of the season, due mainly to weather, the Lady Vikings played six games in a five-day span last week including a doubleheader at home on Friday and a Saturday triangular in Eau Claire.

The results were evenly mixed with Colfax winning three and losing three to take its season mark to 4-3.

Colfax’s week got off to a strong start as it won a pair of lopsided contests.

Colfax clobbered both Elmwood and Boyceville in back-to-back road games. The Viking girls ruined the Raiders day with a 19-2 victory last Tuesday in Elmwood. Just two days later in Boyceville, they did likewise, bouncing the Bulldogs 19-2 thanks to a 16-run, sixth inning. Both games counted as non-conference competition.

Returning home the following day, Friday, April 27, Colfax hosted a doubleheader with Glenwood City. The Hilltoppers won the first, five-inning game, which counted toward the conference standings, 3-2. The Vikings rallied late in the non-conference night cap to win 9-4.

Colfax had little time to rest as it played a triangular tournament at Carson Park in Eau Claire. The Vikings lost both games, falling to host Eau Claire Immanuel 4-2 and state-ranked Grantsburg 14-5. Both games went the full seven innings.

Colfax was scheduled to return to Boyceville for a conference match-up yesterday before returning home to host Durand on Thursday and Spring Valley Friday. The Vikings will play in Mondovi next Tuesday, May 8.

Elmwood

Heading into its contest in Elmwood last Tuesday, Colfax had just one previous softball game under its belt.

But the Vikings offense looked in mid-season form as it swung for 15 hits and carried the team to a five-inning, 17-4 thumping of the Lady Raiders April 24.

Jozie Buchanan, who had plenty of support, threw all five innings for Colfax and limited Elmwood to just five hits and four runs to get the victory.

“We started fast,” noted Colfax head coach John Dickinsen. “I thought the girls played really well and put the ball in play which is what we’ve been really focusing on.”

“Jozie pitched a great game too,” added Dickinsen.

The Vikings scored five runs in the first on four hits, added seven more in the third on just two hits -a pair of two RBI singles by Taylor Irwin and Kameri Meredith –  and  three Raider errors, a single run in the third and two each in the fourth and fifth innings.

Irwin led the hit parade with three including a double with four RBIs. Freshman Bailey Bradford also had four RBIs along with two hits. Four others – Meredith, Becca Lee, Buchanan and Mandy Christianson – also finished with a pair of hits.

Boyceville

The game in Boyceville was a nailbiter until the sixth inning.

In the top half of that frame, Colfax exploded for 16 runs by taking advantage of eight hits, four walks, a pair of hit batsmen and four Bulldog errors. The Vikes went on to win the April 26 game 19-2 after Tamara Huffman retired the Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth.

“The girls played a great game,” said Dickinsen. “We were patient and hit the ball well.”

“Tamara Huffman pitched well giving up just four hits and not giving up an earned run,” added  Dickinsen.

Huffman threw the entire game for Colfax striked out six, walking four and allowing just two runs in the victory.

Colfax jumped to a 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first and another in the third inning.

Boyceville scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to close to within a single run at 3-2.

But in the top of the next inning, the flood gates opened for the Vikings.

Colfax batted through its order over two times in the sixth with Huffman and Makayla Mattson getting a pair of hits during that time.

Huffman along with Bailey Bradford and Kaitlyn Field had three hits. Huffman and Bradford also led in RBIs with four and three respectively.

Glenwood City Doubleheader 

The visiting Hilltoppers claimed a conference victory and the opening contest of a softball double header in Colfax last Friday with a 3-2 win over the Vikings in seven innings.

Colfax rallied late in the five-inning, non-conference nightcap to best Glenwood City 9-4 and earn a split.

The Toppers outhit the Vikings 6 to 3 in the first game but Colfax managed to hang in the contest.

Trailing 2-0 after Glenwood City scored a pair in the top of the third, Colfax tallied a run of its own in the bottom of the frame.

The Hilltoppers punched in their third run in the fifth only to have the Vikings answer with it second score in the bottom of innings.

But much to the Vikings chagrin, they were unable to score in the final two frames, losing 3-2. 

Jozie Buchanan threw all seven innings taking the loss despite scattering the six Topper hits and striking out ten and walking just one.

Huffman, Field and Irwin had the Vikings three hits.

In the second game, Colfax found itself trailing 4-2 heading into its fifth and final at bat.

After Glenwood City turned a double play, Colfax proceeded to scored seven runs for the victory.

Four walks coupled with a 2 RBI singles from Taylor Irwin and 2 RBI doubles by Makayla Mattson helped the Vikings win the game.

Colfax finished with just four hits but Vikings’ pitcher Anna Geissler allowed Glenwood City just three hits in five innings of work for the win. 

Immanuel Triangular 

Colfax lost both of its games in Saturday’s Eau Claire Immanuel Triangular at Carson Park.

In the first game, the Lancers held the Lady Vikings to just a pair of runs and hits.

Although Tamara Huffman allowed just five hits in six innings of mound work, Immanuel was able to score a 4-2 win.

Makayla Mattson and Kaitlyn Field had the two Colfax hits.

Against the sixth-ranked Lady Pirates of Grantsburg, Colfax fared much better offensively, knocking in five runs on 12 hits.

But Grantsburg collected 14 runs on as many hits to win the contest 14-5.

Tamara Huffman, Bailey Bradford, Jozie Buchanan and Mandy Christianson each had a pair of hits.

Buchanan, who allowed Grantsburg 12 runs on 12 hits over five inning of work, suffered  the pitching loss. Anna Geissler threw the sixth and final inning, surrendering two hits and two runs to the six batters she faced.