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The North Branch softball team opened its 2026 season in impressive fashion Monday, March 30, rallying past Class 3A sixth-ranked Benilde-St. Margaret’s for an 8-2 victory in a game that showcased early-season power from the young Vikes.

Trailing 2-0 through four innings, the Vikings erupted for five runs in the fifth and added three more in the sixth to pull away, turning a tight contest into a statement win.

“Our energy was incredible,” North Branch head coach Kathy Crudo said. “You could tell the girls were excited to get some real game play and all aspects of the game were above expectations for our first outing.”

North Branch’s breakthrough inning came in the fifth, when patience at the plate and timely hitting flipped the game. The Vikings consistently worked deep counts and capitalized on strikes, something Crudo emphasized after the game.

“I also think we took very mature at-bats,” she said. “We didn’t swing at balls and we hit the strikes. We looked very disciplined for our first outing.”

Kaytlin Hammond led the charge offensively, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, setting the tone at the top of the lineup. Aubrey Charpentier and Cora Groholski delivered the biggest blows, each blasting a three run homerun. Charpentier scored twice and drew two walks, while Groholski added two runs of her own.

Abby Pfeifer chipped in with a double and a run scored, and Tori Thurmer added two hits as North Branch collected nine hits overall. The Vikings also showed patience, drawing seven walks and taking advantage of four hit-by-pitches to keep pressure on the Red Knights.

“It was fun to see everyone contributing however that looked and doing it well,” Crudo said. “I think a big attribute to that was our captains and how they mentally prepared each other. It was fun to see everyone playing selflessly and with so much excitement.”

In the circle, North Branch used a two-pitcher combination to hold Benilde-St. Margaret’s to just three hits. Sophomore Alyssa Rediske started and worked 3.1 innings, allowing one hit and two runs while striking out one. Freshman Ali Allaman closed the door, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits with two strikeouts.

The Vikings’ defense backed them up throughout, committing just one error while keeping the Red Knights off the bases after the fourth inning.

Facing a traditionally strong Benilde-St. Margaret’s program made the win even more significant. The Red Knights entered the season ranked No. 6 in Class 3A and are a frequent state tournament contender.

“Benilde is a strong and solid team,” Crudo said. “They normally always make it to state, so to start out the season with a great opponent like them and to battle all seven innings — we were losing until the fifth — and never give up was a testament to their confidence and belief amongst each other.”

For a season opener, the Vikings checked all the boxes — timely hitting, disciplined at-bats, solid pitching, and steady defense. More importantly, they showed resilience.

“In high school, it is especially tough to have your pitching, defense, and offense all locked in,” Crudo said. “For this early in the season, I think our squad was hungry and ready.”

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