Lago Vista varsity softball started the 2010 season the same way it finished 2009: with a win. The Lady Vikings easily handled the Vandergrift Lady Vipers, 20-6,on the road Friday behind the superb pitching of Charis Sultemeier and timely hitting of Anna Hollingsworth who went 3-5 with four RBIs.
It was the second victory of the young season for the Lady Vikings who opened the year with a resounding 16-3 victory over the Hyde Park Lady Panthers Feb. 16. The two quick victories will go a long way to ease any apprehension of the team, coach Sommer Wilson said.
“The girls know that our pitchers are going to make good pitches and rely on our defense to make the plays,” she said. “We are hitting the ball better right now than we did all of last season.”
Vandergrift jumped to a 4-1 lead after two innings when two costly errors in the bottom of the second allowed two unearned runs for the Lady Vipers. The Lady Vikings took its first lead of the game in the third when six runs crossed home plate to give them a 6-4 advantage.
“We constantly talked about moving people around the bases when they get on and taking chances on the base paths,” Wilson said. “The girls executed really well moving runners into scoring positions.”
Baylee Donley and Sam DeLeon—called up from the junior varsity squad—each had an RBI single in the fourth to help Lago pad the lead to 8-4. The score remained the same until the Lady Vikings erupted for 11 runs in the top of the seventh and coast to its second straight win.
It was much of the same during the first game of the season as starting pitcher Sultemeier was the key to the victory over Hyde Park not only with her arm but with her bat. She held the Panthers to three runs over seven innings while going 4 for 5 with three RBIs in the road win.
“It was a good way to open the season. We were really rusty and nervous to start the season,” Wilson said. “However, this team is really starting to settle into their roles quicker than we did all of last year. It helps that we have seven returning starters.”
Lago struck early in the first to take the lead and never looked back as it added runs in every inning to take the 20-3 victory. Courtney Sukup went 3 for 5 with five RBIs and four stolen bases to pace the offense.
The Lady Vikes will take its undefeated record on the road again as it travels to the AISD Tournament in Austin this weekend.
“Our motto is this program will not be entrusted to the weak or timid. I have the toughest players in district,” Wilson said. “They are taking a hold of their positions and know what roles they need to play in order for us to be successful.”