Vikings can’t find their groove in loss to PEM
Published 8:18 pm Monday, April 14, 2025
Hayfield’s Betsy Gillette hits a ground ball against PEM in Hayfield Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Hayfield catcher Nora Bamlet looks in a throw as a PEM runner scores. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Elaina Masching winds up for the Vikings. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Melody Walker lines a double for the Vikings. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Kenna Selk makes contact for the Vikings against PEM. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Hayfield’s Kenna Rutledge runs down a PEM runner between second and first base in Hayfield Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
HAYFIELD – The Hayfield softball team needs to get back to laughing it up and relaxing. Then the hits will come.
That was the message from Hayfield co-head coach Travis Kaufman after the Viking softball team stranded six runners on base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings in a 9-3 loss to Plainview-Elgin-Millville Monday.
“The energy just needs to be up. It’s cold and I get it, but the energy was just flat,” Kaufman said. “We need them to get back to that and then stuff will just roll. They’ve got to loosen up. They were treating every at bat like it was the World Series or the State Tournament. Just hit.”
Melody Walker doubled and scored in the second inning for Hayfield (1-3 overall) to tie the game at 1-1, but PEM scored the next eight runs to take a 9-1 lead after six innings. Hayfield finally did some damage in the final frame as Kenna Rutledge tripled in a run and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nora Bamlet.
Kaufman said that last inning and the potential the Vikings have shown this year gives him home that improvement is on the horizon.
“In the last inning, that’s how we play ball,” Kaufman said. “Hopefully it carries over. We’ve threatened all year and the dam will break. We’re confident that it will happen. We have the talent.”
PEM 0 1 2 3 0 2 0 – 9 9 0
Hayfield 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 – 3 9 3
Hayfield pitching: Ella Bamlet (L) 3 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 K; Elaina Masching, 4 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 ER, 1 K
Hayfield hitting: Kenna Selk, 1-for-4, double, R; Kenna Rutledge, 2-for-4, triple, RBI, R; Nora Bamlet, 0-for-3, RBI; Jenna Christopherson, 1-for-4; Melody Walker, 2-for-3, 2 doubles, R; Betsy Gillette, 2-for-3, RBI; Jordyn Knudson, 0-for-2, BB; Alexys Swygman, 1-for-3, SB; Ella Bamlet, 0-for-1, BB, SB; Kalei Tank, 0-for-1
