DES MOINES, IOWA – Grand View Softball made the most of its final home appearance of the 2025 season, shutting out Peru State in back-to-back games Friday afternoon at Richard O. Jacobson Field. The Vikings cruised to an 8-0 run-rule victory in Game 1 and capped the sweep with a 5-0 win in Game 2.
GAME 1 | GRAND VIEW 8, PERU STATE 0 (5 INNINGS)
The Vikings handled business quickly in the opener, run-ruling the Bobcats in five innings while relying on just three hits. Seven stolen bases, five walks, and seven RBIs paved the way to the 8-0 victory.
Madi Huisman was at the core of Grand View's success, delivering a dominant five-inning outing. She shut out Peru State, allowing only one hit while striking out three, forcing five fly outs and seven ground outs, and assisting in a key putout at home to keep the Bobcats off the board after a squeeze bunt attempt in the second inning.
Grand View struck early with one run in the first and two more in the second. An error on
Samantha Holbert's poke to right field allowed
Olivia Kyes, who reached on a fielder's choice, to score the opening run. Two of the Vikings' three singles came in the second inning, with
Mackenzie Meister and
Olivia Harmon each recording RBI singles to stretch the lead to 3-0.
Small ball, aggressive baserunning, and Peru State miscues fueled a five-run third that needed just one early single from Holbert. A pair of errors — one fielding and one throwing — allowed Holbert to score. Two more runs followed on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by
Kylie Merical, bringing home
Reese Cooley, then
Gabriella Taber in the same sequence as Merical drew a throw to second. After the first of two Peru State pitching changes, Meister,
Chloe Kottlowski, and Harmon (RBI) each drew walks to bring in another run. A sacrifice fly from Kyes capped the inning at 8-0.
Two swinging strikeouts from Huisman and clean defense sealed the deal in the fifth.
GAME 2 | GRAND VIEW 5, PERU STATE 0
Peru State showed more resistance in Game 2, forcing Grand View to stay sharp in the field and at the plate. The Bobcats put runners on second and third in the first, but Taber secured a fly out and Kyes ended the inning with a diving catch at third to keep the game scoreless.
The Vikings got on the board in the second. Holbert led off with a single up the middle and stole second. A groundout advanced her to third, and Cooley drove her in with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.
Three more runs followed in the third after a walk to Harmon and a single from Kyes. Holbert delivered again with a two-RBI double off the center field fence, then came around to score on a Taber single to make it 4-0.
The final run came in the fourth, sparked by a Merical bunt and a Bobcat error. She advanced on a stolen base and came home on back-to-back wild pitches, forcing one last pitching change from Peru State.
Grand View used three pitchers to complete the shutout.
Madeline Waldorf threw five strong innings, allowing only two hits and no runs while striking out five.
Molly Breeding handled the sixth, giving up one hit and retiring the other three batters with help from the defense.
Addison Halstead closed the seventh with a fly out and two groundouts, both handled by Kyes and
Nevaeh Randall.
The Viking defense was spotless, committing no errors. Harmon stayed busy late, recording five outs — three in the fifth alone. Grand View's composure and early momentum carried them to another dominant win, securing the series sweep.
GAME NOTES
- Samantha Holbert went 3-for-5 with 3 runs, 3 RBIs, and 2 stolen bases.
- Olivia Harmon walked five times and drove in 2 runs.
- Reese Cooley also had 2 RBIs.
- Madi Huisman and Madeline Waldorf each picked up a win with shutout performances in the circle.
- The Vikings stole 12 bases across the doubleheader.
- Grand View recorded shutouts in both games, allowing just four total hits.
UP NEXT
Grand View travels to Clarke University tomorrow, April 26, for its final regular season doubleheader in Dubuque, IA. First pitches are scheduled for 1:00 and 3:00 PM.
