MADISON — The first-ever appearance at the WIAA Division 3 state softball tournament for the Valders Vikings ended with a 6-4 loss to the Fall Creek Crickets on June 13.
Valders was the fourth seed in its state debut, losing to top-seeded Fall Creek.
After falling behind three runs early, the Vikings were able to score a run in the top of the second inning when Audrey Wagner drew a one-out walk and scored on an Adelyn Massert RBI triple.
Despite trailing 6-1 in the fifth, Valders wasn’t about to just give up.
Anna Olson hit a two-RBI double after Abby Schultz singled to left field to begin the inning and Makayla Dallas reached on a throwing error.
Olson herself later scored on a fielding error by the Crickets to pull within two runs.
But that was as close as Valders would get, with Massert singling in the sixth the last baserunner of the contest.
Massert was the lone Vikings batter to have multiple hits, going 2-of-3 with an RBI.
Fall Creek’s Grace Herrem, who earned the win in the circle, limited Valders to five hits over seven innings and striking out 11. She also went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs at the plate.
The Vikings ended the season 20-7 and were co-champions of the Eastern Wisconsin Conference along with Brillion.
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: WIAA softball: Valders upended by Fall Creek in state tournament debut
Reporting by Tom Dombeck, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter / Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
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