Sports : Vikettes fight back, but lose to W Dubuque in extra innings, 11-5

VINTON – For a single WaMaC Conference softball game last night, the battle at Thole Field between Coach Bari Parrott’s Vikettes (2-4, 1-4 in the WaMaC), and Western Dubuque was actually three games.

There was the first two innings, which saw the visiting Bobcats jump out to a 5-1 lead. Then there were the next five, which saw the Vikettes back shutout the pitching of reliever Maddie Cornell by eking out fourth runs – including two in a dramatic seventh inning – to tie the game.

Then, there was the eighth, which saw Western explode for six runs and win the game 11-5.

Three for the price one!

The Bobcats lit up starter Lindsey Noren for five runs in an inning and third before Cornell came out of the bullpen. Western score three in the first, but Vikettes countered with one in the bottom of the inning.

Ashley Boyer reached on a one-out error, went to second on a passed ball, then scored an out later on Ashley Strong’s single..

With Cornell slamming the door for the next six and two-thirds, the Vikettes started to scratch their way back into the game. The Vikettes scratched out a hitless-run in the fourth. Brittany Robertson and Strong walked, but Strong was nailed at second when Kaley Womochil hit into a force play as Robertson went to third. Jena Relf grounded to short, but Womochil was called out for interference on the play, giving the Vikettes a first-and-third situation with two outs. Relf managed to get herself into a pick-off situation and while she was in the run down, Robertson snuck home, cutting the lear to 5-2.

The Vikettes added another run in the fifth. Mackie Stueck reached on a lead-off error, and moved to third one out later on pinch-hitter Kate Hanson’s single. Katie Henderson grounded out to second, but that plated Stueck and the lead was down to 5-3.

Then came the seventh. Relf led off with an infield hit and Stueck walked. Kristin Henderson executed a perfect sacrifice to advance both runners. Hanson followed with a ground out to short that drove in Relf and the lead was down to one with two outs.

Up stepped Katie Henderson. The senior took a strike, then tattooed the next pitch into the right field corner. Stueck came all the way around to score the tying run, and the speedy senior came all the way around for a triple. But she’d be stranded there.

Then came the eighth. The Bobcats came back to rock Cornell for a pair of runs in then got a one-out grand slam homer to post six runs and put the game away.

The Vikettes hit the road tonight to take on Anamosa in 9th grade/JV/varsity tripleheader that begins at 4:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, the Vikettes head up to La Porte City for a non-league twinbill against the Union Knights, beginning at 4 p.m.