Sports : Vikettes Open Softball Season Wednesday

VINTON – The hot weather this week can mean only one thing: Summer is here and with it the start of the summer sports season.

Coming off of five straight 20-plus win seasons, Coach Bari Parrott’s Vinton-Shellsburg softball team will open the season on the road Wednesday night with a WaMaC Conference twinbill at Williamsburg’s newly-remodeled softball field.

The Vikettes (22-20 last year) will be road warriors as the season opens, as they play eight of their first 11 dates on the road. After a trip to East Buchanan Friday night, the Vikettes will host Benton Community on Memorial Day, May 31 for their home opener at Thole Field. The team hosts Western Dubuque next Wednesday, June 2, before playing five of their next six on the road.

After hosting Dyersville Beckman June 9, the Vikettes will host the Vikette Invitational on June 12.

Other key dates on the schedule include Saturday, June 26, when the team makes their first-ever trip to the Urbandale Invitational, and Monday, July 5 when the Vikettes host defending Class 3A State champion Clear Creek-Amana and the following night, when the team hosts Jesup for Senior Night.

2010 Vinton-Shellsburg varsity softball schedule

May 26 – at Williamsburg, 6 p.m.

May 28 – at East Buchanan (JV/V), 5:30 p.m.

May 31 – Benton Community, 6 p.m.

June 1 – at South Tama (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 2 – Western Dubuque (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 3 – at Anamosa (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 5 – at Union, 4 p.m. June 7 – at Center Point-Urbana, 6 p.m.

June 8 – at Belle Plaine, 6 p.m.

June 9 – Dyersville Beckman, 6 p.m.

June 10 – at Mount Vernon (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 12 – Vikette Invitational, 11 a.m.

June 14 – Marion, 6 p.m. June 16 – Solon (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 17 – at Central DeWitt (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 19 – at North Butler Invitational

June 21 – at Independence, 6 p.m.

June 23 – Maquoketa (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 24 – Iowa Valley (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 25 – at Benton Community (JV/V), 6 p.m.

June 26 – Jack North Invitational (at Urbandale): 11:30 a.m. vs. Creston; 3 p.m. vs. Winterset

June 28 – at Waterloo Columbus, 6 p.m.

June 29 – at North Tama (V/JV), 5 p.m.

June 30 – West Delaware (JV/V), 6 p.m.

July 1 – at Tri-County (Thornburg, JV/V), 6 p.m.

July 5 – Clear Creek-Amana, 6 p.m.

July 6 – Jesup (JV/V), 6 p.m.