Lady Vikings win conference softball games over E-PC and Glenwood City
VIKING Alexis Schindler lined a single to tthe outfield on this pitch during a home softball game against Glenwood City April 18. Schindler finished with a pair of hits and scored twice as the Vikings defeated the Hilltoppers 12-2 in five innings. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
by Marlys Kruger
Sports Correspondent
What was supposed to be a busy week for the Colfax girls’ softball team with five games on their slate, turned out to be a little quieter due to some cold and windy weather conditions.
The Vikings picked up a pair of Dunn-St. Croix Conference wins, starting with a 13-0 win at Elmwood-Plum City April 15, then had a three-day break before they hosted Glenwood City April 18 and came away with a 12-2 win.
An early season showdown scheduled the next day against last year’s D-SC Conference champion Mondovi was put on hold as were a pair of non-conference games on Saturday with temperatures in the low 40s expected.
CONCENTRATION — The Vikings’ senior second baseman McKenna Shipman kept her eyes on the softball as it rolled toward her glove. She cleanly fielded the ground ball and threw it to first for an out during Colfax’s home conference game versus Glenwood City. Shipman went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of triples, four RBIs and scored two runs to help the Vikings to a 12-2, five-inning win over the Hilltoppers in the April 18 game. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
With the two conference victories, Colfax maintained its half-game advantage over Boyceville atop the Dunn-St. Croix with a 6-0 record. Overall, the Vikings are 9-1. They played in Boyceville Monday, at Pepin Tuesday and finish off the week with a game in Mondovi on Friday. Colfax is back home next Monday, April 29 to welcome Durand-Arkansaw.
Elmwood-Plum City
The Vikings burst to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, adding five more in the second, a single run in the fifth, then shut the Wolves down to end the contest in five innings.
Colfax smacked 11 hits and drew nine walks to score their runs and were led by Jada Anderson with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate which included a double, two stolen bases, four RBIs and two runs scored. Brynn Sikora had an all around great day, going 2-for-2 with both hits doubles, a trio of RBIs and runs scored while swiping a pair of bases. Audrey Ebert batted 2-for-4, also smashing a double and bringing in a run, while McKenna Shipman went 2-for-4 with another double, scoring three times and picking up an RBI.
Laikyn Beyer earned the win from the circle, allowing one hit with seven strikeouts and nary a walk in four innings, and Alexis Schindler finished things off, giving up a hit with two Ks and no free passes in the final inning.
Glenwood City
It turned out to be another shortened game when the Vikings continued to pound the ball, tallying 13 hits in the five inning contest. After putting up two runs in both the first and second innings, the Hilltoppers closed the gap as they scored once in the second inning and once more in the third. But the floodgates opened wide for Colfax in the third with eight runners finding their way
SAFE AT HOME — Colfax’s Audrey Ebert (#10) slid safely into home plate during the Vikings home softball game versus Glenwood City last Thursday, April 18. Colfax won the contest 12-2.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
to home plate to finish off the scoring for both teams.
Every player in the Colfax lineup scored at least one run while several had multiple hits. Shipman had a solid 3-for-3 performance which included two triples with four RBIs and two runs scored. Sikora slammed a home run for one of her three hits, bringing in two runs, scoring twice and stealing two bases. Schindler was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, Emma Medin smacked a double for an RBI and scored once and Jada Anderson banged a triple to bring in a runner and came home once.
Beyer hurled all five innings, whiffing seven Hilltoppers, walking two and allowing four hits to earn the win.