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The Viking softball team recorded its second win of the season Monday, April 16 at St. Francis. North Branch starter Tiffany Good shut the Saints out as the Vikings recorded a 3-0 conference win.

Megan Aho singled to start the game, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on Maggie Johnson's single. Aho was the catalyst for the second run, too. Her one out single in the third was followed by a base hit by Johnson. Megan Ranger's RBI single drove Aho in.

The score remained 2-0 until the top of the seventh, when Kayla Obitz led off with a double. She scored the game's final run when St. Francis mishandled a sacrifice bunt by Good.

Good scattered seven hits to get the complete game shut-out. She struck out seven and walked four in the win. Good was aided by some outstanding defensive work, led by senior catcher Megan Ranger. The backstop threw out two Saints attempting to steal bases.

"Timely hitting and great defense was the difference in this game, " said North Branch head coach Ron Trunk. "Both teams had only seven hits. We made the most of ours. Tiff pitched a great game. She had a couple of big strike-outs early in the game with runners in scoring position."

Chisago Lakes at North Branch

The Wildcats out hit the Vikings 18 to 6 and took advantage of them to beat NB on the Viking field Thursday, April 19.

Chisago Lakes scored two in the first and second, added single runs in the fifth and sixth and blew the game open with seven in the final frame.

The lone Viking run came in the first. Megan Aho walked, Maggie Johnson reached base on a single and Megan Ranger walked to fill the sacks. Senior third baseman Dani Sonnenfeld drove Aho home and left the bases loaded.

However, a strike out, an infield fly and a ground out to short ended the Vikings' scoring. The Vikes had few chances after that. Only three NB runners advanced past first the remainder of the game.

Sonnenfeld, who went 2 for 3 on the day, led the Viking offense. Johnson, Ranger and Kayla Obitz had singles for the Vikings. Aho's one-out triple in the bottom of the seventh for the was the only extra base hit for the home team.

Tiffany Good took the loss, giving up four runs on seven hits in three innings. "You have to tip your hat to Chisago Lakes. They played better in all areas of the game. We have to forget this game and move on," said coach Trunk.

Cooper at North Branch

The Vikings could manage only two hits Tuesday, April 12 against Robbinsdale-Cooper at North Branch. The lack of offense resulted in a 4-0 win for the Hawks.

Tiffany Good, who went the distance on the mound for the Vikings, held Cooper scoreless through three. But, in the top of the fourth, a double, two singles and two NB errors netted two runs for the visitors. In the fifth, the Hawks strung together a single, a double and another single for the game's other two runs.

The only two hits for NB were a bunt single by Alyssa Peterson in the third and a two out, seventh inning single by Good.

"We need to supply some more run support for our pitchers to be competitive in our games," said coach Trunk.

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