North Branch splits four of their first five games, blitzkrieg of games awaits after postponements

North Branch 10, Fridley 1
The early season cancellations and postponements finally took a backseat last week as North Branch took on North Suburban Conference foes Fridley and Spring Lake Park in an indoor game at the Vadnais Heights Sports Center.

In the first game against Fridley, North Branch scored the first run of the game with some small ball in the first inning. Emily Trunk tried to bunt her way on and ended up at second base when the Tiger third baseman misplayed the ball. Trunk advanced to third on a passed ball and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Sydney Meuller. The score remained 1-0 until the fourth inning when North Branch unleashed their offense. They scored six runs in the frame, highlighted by two hits by Mikayla Carlson and a double by Kelsey Laffin. The Lady Vikings stretched the lead to 10-0 in the fifth inning after Trunk and Mueller singled. Meagan Rollins reached on an error and Kari Berggren, Claire Peltier and Kaylee Lofboom walked.

Fridley scored their lone run in the sixth inning on three hits. Lofboom went the distance for North Branch, pitching six strong innings, scattering five hits, striking out five and only issuing two free passes.

Spring Lake Park 11, North Branch 2
The Vikings got out to a fast start again in their second half of the double header. Trunk reached on a bunt single, and then reached second on a throwing error trying to get her out at first. A walk by Mueller and a single by Carlson loaded the bases up. Erin Kvam brought home the first run of the game with a single, which scored Trunk. But Spring Lake Park responded much faster than Fridley ever did. The Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take their first lead of the game. In the top of the second inning, North Branch tied the game when Megan Carlson led off the inning with a solo homerun to right center. It was Carlson’s first career varsity at-bat. The jubilation was short-lived, however.

Spring Lake Park answered with six runs in the second inning. It was a mess of an inning no matter how it shook out. Kvam gave up five hits, two walks her defense committed three errors behind her. The Panthers added three more runs over the last three innings, winning 11-2. “It sure was a great feeling to be on a ball field competing (even inside) for the first time after six weeks in the gym,” Head Coach Ron Trunk said. “We did some real nice things. Our defense was solid and error free against Fridley, and we just had one bad inning against SLP.”

Rockford Invitational - New Life Academy 3, North Branch 1
In the opening game of the Rockford Invite, North Branch drew the New Life Academy Eagles who have won three out the last four Class A state championships. The powerhouse Eagles reversed the trend on the Vikings, scoring in the first inning to take an early lead. They led off with a homerun, a double and a single to go up 2-0. Only a stellar defensive play from Carlson kept the damage to a minimum, as she caught an attempted bunt pop up and then fired to first to double up the runner there. In the second inning, North Branch sliced the lead in half with a lead off single by Kvam, followed by a sacrifice bunt and a single by Megan Carlson.

The Eagles’ leadoff hitter jacked another homerun in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 3-1, and that ended up being the difference in the game as NLA won 3-1. Lofboom started for the Vikings and went the distance. She gave up three runs on seven hits and two walks. She struck out three Eagles on the day. “Kaylee really pitched well for us. After the first inning she was able to mix her pitches and keep a good hitting team off-balanced,” Trunk said. “We thought New Life would be a challenge, but we played well defensively and just came up a little short.”

North Branch 7, Rockford 2
The Vikings moved on to play the host Rockford Rockets in their second game of the tourney. Rockford struck first, scoring two runs in the third inning, but the Vikings got one of those back in the bottom half of the frame. Trunk and Meuller hit back-to-back singles and both advanced on a wild pitch. Trunk scored on a fielders choice by Berggren, but the rest of the runners were stranded for the inning. The score stayed at 2-1 in favor of the Rockets untils the fifth inning. Casey Hovland led off the inning with a single and advance to third on a bunt single and throwing error. Hovland, a speedster who also runs cross country, scored on a grounder to the shortstop. The Rockford shortstop tried to gun Hovland out at home, but she beat the throw and tag and that left runners on the corners for NB.

Both Meuller and Carlson came home to score when Berggren smoked an infield single to the shortstop, who then proceeded to throw the ball away. Berggren came into score after a single and sacrifice fly. The Vikes added two insurance runs in the sixth inning on single by Katy Trunk and Hovland, a walk by Meuller and a single by Berggren. Kvam started the contest and got her first win of the year, going all six inning giving up two runs on seven hits and zero walks. She struck out four batters in the game. “We again had a balanced attack getting hits throughout the batting order,” Trunk said. “Erin pitched well and with control, allowing her defense to work behind her.” Now, the games come fast and furious for the Lady Vikes. They had four more contest this week and will have five next week. Staying fresh, mentally and physically, is going to be the key for these girls as the blitz of games begins.