(Oakland, IA) — Despite some scrappy offense from the AHSTW Lady Vikes, the Riverside Bulldogs were able to strand two base runners in the top of the seventh to hold onto an 8-7 victory.
The game was a slow-burner at first, with Riverside remaining hitless until the bottom of the third and the Lady Vikes mustering just two base runners through their first 11 at-bats. It was all calm before the storm, however, with Riverside exploding for a five-run third inning courtesy of singles from Peyton Schafer, Lilli Reed, Braelyn Schnack, Kaycie Perkins, and a two-RBI knock to left field from Sophia Fenner.
It didn’t take long for the Lady Vikes to respond, however, with two walks from Maebry Rice and Reese Knop and a single to right from Charlie Pattee giving Kadence Coolidge the bat with two outs and the bases loaded. Coolidge forced an RBI walk, and gave the reins to leadoff hitter Halle Goodmann, who lined a 2-RBI single into dead center. The damage wouldn’t stop there, with Bella Lamp reaching base on balls and eighth grader Rylinn Madsen putting an RBI-single into center field. A great fourth inning response from the Lady Vikes put the game at 5-4 Bulldogs.
Riverside strung together three runs in the fourth and fifth inning to extend their lead 8-4, but AHSTW kept fighting back in the top of the sixth. Coolidge was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning followed by two walks in a row then two singles in a row to drive in three runs, again giving the Bulldogs just one run to work with. Goodmann in the circle stranded two runners in a fruitless bottom of the sixth for the Bulldogs. Down one in the top of the seventh, the Lady Vikes had three chances to get a runner in. Schafer started the inning well, striking out Charlotte Pattee for her seventh strikeout of the game. Kendra Hansen would then get onto first on a blooper to left field. Coolidge grounded out as the Lady Vikes were down to their last out, where Goodmann would keep the game alive with single to right, putting Hansen on third. Bella Lamp would then hit a hard grounder to shortstop Kayden Schnack, who connected on a great throw to first base in just enough time to square the game away.
The game puts Riverside at 17-4 and the Lady Vikes fall to 7-12. Sophia Fenner went 2/4 on two singles with two RBI’s. On her success at the plate, Fenner says it’s all about confidence:
Both teams wrap up their conference schedule Thursday with Riverside hitting the road to face IKM-Manning, and AHSTW hosting Tri-Center.
