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The North Branch Viking softball made its debut, Thursday, April 6 at home. The opponent, Irondale, was a new one for the Vikes. “It was a tough, hard fought game,” said NB head coach Larry Brodin, “but the Vikings came up on the short end of a 2-0 score.”

The Knights used two hits in the first inning to go up 1-0. They did the same thing in the second to take a 2-0 lead. From that point, the pitchers and defenses took over the game.

Megan Ranger’s two out single in the third and Ann Fortier’s lead-off single in the fifth were the only hits the Viking’s managed. NB did have chances. The Vikes left the bases loaded in the second, two runners on in the third and seventh and stranded a baserunner at second in the fifth.

“We just couldn’t get a hit to plate a run and put the pressure on them,” said the coach.

Tiffany Good pitched the complete game in taking the loss. She struck out four and walked two in a good outing.

“For our first game, it was okay. We were a little tentative at the plate, but that will improve. We played well in the field and worked out of some jams. It’s a place to start and now we go from here and work to get a little better every game,” Brodin concluded.

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