Sports : Vikettes take a wild, weird sweep from Marion Monday night

After spending the better part of the day clearing gallons of water off of the playing surface at Thole Field, Coach Bari Parrott’s Vinton-Shellsburg Vikettes were not about to be denied their prize Monday night, even if it took until Tuesday morning to do it

They got it in the form of a sweep of their first WaMaC Conference sweep of the season. The Vikettes took a walk-off 6-5 win over Marion in the opener, then won a strange and crazy nightcap, coming back after blowing a four-run lead to score three late runs to top the Tribe, 11-10, in a game at ended just before midnight.

The opener – which was delayed for an hour as final field preparations were made -- got off to a rough start for the home team, as Vikette starter Lindsey Noren was rocked for three early runs, and V-S trailed 3-0. But they fought back to tie the game, then led 4-3 at one point before the Indians came back to tie, then took the lead in the sixth at 5-4. It would stay that way until the bottom of seventh.

Katie Henderson led off the seventh with a single, moved to second on Ashley Strong’s sacrifice and one out later she was still there, as Ashley Boyer stepped to the plate. The Vikettes’s slugging catcher crushed one into the right-center field gap. The fleet-footed Henderson sailed around from second to score the tying run as Boyer charged toward third. But the Indians’ attempt to nail Boyer at the hot corner went high, past the bag and rattled into the Vikette dugout. By rule, Boyer was awarded home, and the Vikettes won, 6-5.

Henderson had three hits and drove in two, while Boyer added a pair of hits – a double and triple -- and drove in one. Maddie Cornell got the win, as the Vikettes edged back over .500 at 8-7.

The second game had it all. The Vikettes scored four in the first to take a 4-0 lead, only to give it back to the Indians, who scored one in the second and three in the third. But the Vikettes would put up another four-spot in the bottom of the inning and looked safe at 8-4.

Yeah, not so much. Marion scored two in the fourth and four in the fifth and suddenly that comfortable 8-4 Vikette lead was a 10-8 deficit, in favor of the Indians. But, you really didn’t think this was over, did you?

In the Vikette fifth, Strong and Brittany Robertson reached on singles with nobody out, once again bringing Boyer to the plate. And, once again, the catcher delivered, blasting another one off the right-field fence for another triple – her fifth of the season. Strong and Robertson scored to tied the game and Boyer was the potential winning run at third. As a light rain began to fall, Kaley Womochil stepped up and on a 1-1 pitch she lined one down the third-base line. The Marion third baseman reached out and snagged the ball in foul territory. As she did, her glove came down on the top of Boyer’s (who was trying to get back to the bag) head. Double play, and the game would enter the sixth tied at 10-10 as the clock passed 11:30 and the light rain continued to fall.

In the V-S sixth, Mackie Stueck took one off her foot to lead off the inning. Jena Relf beat out a ground ball. Henderson reached on a force play and Stueck scored on Strong’s groundout and the Vikettes were 11-10.

Cornell – who started the game, was relieved by Noren then came back and finished the game – got her second win of the game. Boyer was three for five – including another double and triple -- with five RBIs while Robertson was three for four with three driven in. Henderson and Strong added two hits each.

The Vikettes (9-7) are home tonight for a JV/varsity tilt with Solon, beginning at 6 p.m. at Thole Field. Thursday night, they are on the road again, this time on the long trip east to DeWitt to take on Central Clinton. Saturday, the Vikettes will be in action at the North Butler Invitational at Allison. They face Janesville at 10:45 in pool play, then Clarksville at 12:30.