SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA – Grand View Softball hit the road this weekend to compete in the NAIA SB Invitational, facing top-tier competition. The Vikings finished the weekend with a 2-2 record, splitting both days of play. Of the four teams Grand View faced, three ranked in the NAIA Top 25. 
 
SATURDAY

GAME 1 | GRAND VIEW 11, COLUMBIA COLLEGE 0

Grand View opened the weekend with a dominant 11-0 win over Columbia College in five innings, powered by a six-run third inning that all but sealed the victory. Madeline Waldorf sparked the surge with a double to center, followed by a bases-loaded triple from Nevaeh Randall and an RBI double from Reese Cooley. The Vikings' defense was just as sharp, recording two three-up, three-down frames to stifle Columbia's offense. Randall and Cooley led the charge at the plate with three hits apiece, while Randall drove in a team-high five RBIs. Madi Huisman controlled the circle, allowing just one hit and no runs over four innings while striking out three and walking one.
 
GAME 2 | OREGON TECH 4, GRAND VIEW 3

In their second game on Saturday, Grand View battled No. 5 Oregon Tech but fell just short in a 4-3 loss. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when a double put the Owls on the board. Mackenzie Meister responded in the fifth, leading off the inning with a homer to even the score. Oregon Tech answered with a three-run surge in the sixth, but the Vikings fought back as Reese Cooley delivered a clutch two-RBI double. Despite the late push, Grand View couldn't capitalize in the seventh, leaving them just shy of the comeback. The Vikings totaled five hits to their opponents' eight and committed one error.
 
SUNDAY

GAME 3 | GRAND VIEW 4, MIDLAND  2

Sunday morning started strong for Grand View as they took down No. 15 Midland, 4-2, avenging their season-opening loss. A three-up, three-down first inning set the tone before Reese Cooley's double brought Olivia Harmon home to put the Vikings on the board. Grand View struck again in the second when Olivia Kyes ripped a triple to right field, driving in Harmon, Chloe Kottlowski, and Kylie Merical for a three-run inning. Midland responded with a run in the fourth and another in the seventh, but Grand View's flawless defense held firm to close out the win. Waldorf earned the victory, allowing two runs on seven hits over just over six innings while striking out four and walking one. 
 
GAME 4 | UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS 6, GRAND VIEW 1

The Vikings fell to No. 3 University of the Cumberlands, 6-1, despite an early spark in the first inning. Olivia Harmon singled and was driven home by a Reese Cooley double, giving Grand View a 1-0 lead. The Vikings' defense held the Patriots scoreless through four innings, but Cumberlands broke through in the fifth, scoring three runs to take the lead. They added two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to seal the win. Grand View finished with six hits, led by Harmon with five, but struggled to capitalize, leaving eight runners stranded. Despite strong defense, committing just one error in a scoreless inning, the Vikings couldn't overcome the Patriots' offensive surge.
 
TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Grand View finished 2-2 on the weekend, earning wins over No. 15 Midland and Columbia College.
• The Vikings' defense was sharp, committing just three errors across four games.
• Nevaeh Randall and Reese Cooley led the offense—Randall totaled 5 RBIs and 4 hits, while Cooley recorded 7 RBIs and 6 hits.
• Pitching Standouts: Madi Huisman allowed just one hit in four innings against Columbia, and Madeline Waldorf secured the win over Midland with four strikeouts. 
• The Vikings recorded multiple three-up, three-down innings and held No. 3 Cumberlands scoreless for four frames before their late-game surge.
• Grand View moves to 3-5 on the season, with only one loss coming against a non-Top 25 team.

UP NEXT
Grand View will continue their road stretch as they head to Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Thursday, February 27, for the Space Coast Invitational. The Vikings are set to take on the College of Coastal Georgia and Oakland City University.