DES MOINES, IOWA – Grand View Softball emerged glittering in a gloomy Good Friday doubleheader against Culver-Stockton College, battling through an early scare in Game 1. The Vikings struggled both in the field and at the plate to start, but showed their grit and determination, rallying from behind to secure the win. Game 2, however, was all Grand View, delivering a statement that stripped any confidence the Wildcats had gained from the opener.
GAME 1 | GRAND VIEW 7, CULVER-STOCKTON 6
A pair of strikeouts from starting pitcher
Madeline Waldorf set the tone early, sending the Vikings to the plate, where
Gabriella Taber delivered the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring
Olivia Harmon, who led off the inning with a walk.
Trouble came in the third, when a walk and a timely double down the left field line put two Wildcats in scoring position. A single to left tied the game, and despite a momentum-building strikeout from Waldorf, Culver-Stockton added another run on an RBI single up the middle. The Wildcats tacked on two more before Waldorf ended the inning with a strikeout, trailing 4-1.
As Grand View continued searching for offense,
Addison Halstead came in to replace Waldorf in the circle. Her change of pace paid off, even with a Viking error in the mix, and shortstop
Chloe Kottlowski helped close the inning with two putouts.
Defensively, the Vikings shined in the fifth, particularly the middle infielders. Kottlowski made a heads-up play on a hard grounder to cut down a runner at the plate, keeping the deficit at three, before
Kylie Merical ended the inning with a leaping line-drive catch. Still, the bats remained quiet.
The energy shifted in the bottom of the sixth.
Samantha Holbert led off with a single through the right side, and Taber followed with a walk.
Mackenzie Meister laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt to move them over, setting the stage for
Reese Cooley, who delivered a clutch single to center to drive in both runners. A Wildcat pitching change didn't slow Grand View down—
Olivia Harmon singled to center to bring in the tying run and knot it up 4-4 heading into the seventh.
But Culver-Stockton wasn't done yet, adding two more runs in the top of the seventh off a string of hits and a Viking error, reclaiming the lead 6-4 with one final chance for Grand View.
The comeback began with a single from
Nevaeh Randall, followed by a walk to Holbert. Taber laid down a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Meister drew an RBI walk to bring in the first run, and Cooley was hit by a pitch to tie it up once more. With plenty of outs to work with, Kottlowski lifted a deep sacrifice fly to center, allowing Taber to score the winning run, 7-6 Grand View.
Halstead earned the win, pitching four innings and giving up just two runs on four hits. She walked only one batter while forcing eight groundouts and four flyouts.
The Vikings drew seven walks and were hit by pitch three times. Cooley was an offensive spark, finishing with three RBIs, a double, a walk, and a hit by pitch.
GAME 2 | GRAND VIEW 11, CULVER-STOCKTON 2 (5 INNINGS)
In Game 2, the Vikings wasted no time avoiding another down-to-the-wire finish, scoring two runs in the first and five more in the second.
Olivia Kyes got things started with a single through the right side, followed by two stolen bases—including a heads-up take of third during Holbert's walk. Holbert then stole second, putting both in scoring position for Taber, who brought them home with a single up the middle.
The momentum continued in the second. Cooley led off with a walk, and singles from Merical and a Wildcat error loaded the bases. Kyes drew a walk to bring in Cooley, and Randall smashed a two-RBI double off the center field fence. Holbert capped the rally with a two-run single up the middle to make it 7-0.
Culver-Stockton chipped in a run in both the fourth and fifth innings, but Grand View continued to pour it on, extending the lead to 11-2 in the fourth. A pair of walks and a single from Taber loaded the bases again, and RBIs from Meister, Cooley (hit by pitch), Kottlowski, and
Lark Drake sealed the deal. The Vikings held strong in the top of the fifth to enforce the run-rule and secure a commanding victory.
Madi Huisman impressed in the circle, tossing four innings and allowing just one run on two hits. She retired 11 of the 15 batters she faced and struck out four.
Grand View swiped six bases, led by Kyes with two. Holbert, Randall, and Taber all logged two RBIs apiece.
GAME NOTES
- Samantha Holbert went 2-for-3 at the plate with 3 walks, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs.
- Gabriella Taber was consistent, going 3-for-5 with a sacrifice fly, 3 runs, 3 RBIs.
- Reese Cooley led the way with 4 RBIs.
- Addison Halstead and Madi Huisman each earned wins in the circle, impressively handling the misty conditions.
- The Vikings tallied 15 hits versus the Wildcats 14.
- Grand View stole 8 bases across both games.
- The Vikings earned 14 walks and were hit 4 times across the series.
- Grand View committed 5 errors across both games, but remained unrattled.
UP NEXT
The Vikings travel to Oskaloosa, Iowa, tomorrow, April 19
th, for a doubleheader against William Penn University at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.
