Lady Vikings Softball Dominate Messalonskee In First Round Of Playoffs by Shannon Kriger

  As the Lady Vikings softball team of Oxford Hills took on the Messalonskee Eagles in their first playoff game on Wednesday, June 11th, they had victory on their minds.

    The Lady Vikings dominated the Eagles and easily won the game with a final score of 15-3.

    The Eagles had kept up with the Vikings up until the fourth quarter, when Oxford Hills scored off an error.  The Vikings kept their momentum rolling into the fifth inning and were a force to be reckoned with at bat. In this inning, the Vikings scored five more runs in hopes of shutting down the other team.

    The sixth inning was even more successful for the Lady Vikings. They brought in another eight runs in that one inning, setting the score to 15-3, mercy ruling the Messalonskee Eagles in the bottom of the sixth.

    Lady Vikings that really contributed to their triumphant victory were Annika Kahkonen, Crystal West, Kayleigh Knox, Erin Morton, and Anna Winslow, each of which got on base in the fifth and sixth innings due to tremendous swings.

    Kayleigh Knox, leading her team by being four for four at bat, comments on her prodigious job in the game, saying, “I knew how important this game was to our team, and if we lost, then our season was over. We had to leave it all on the field, and I was determined to help bring my team to the second round of playoffs- all of the girls were.”

The Lady Vikings are taking on the Cony Rams next in their journey throughout the playoffs. The Rams are the #1 seeded team in the Eastern Maine Class A softball tournament.

The last time the Lady Vikings faced the Cony Rams was in the regular season, barely losing to Cony in a hard fought, tension filled game.

Coach Goddard, the Lady Vikings softball coach, is hoping to get even further in the playoffs and blow the Cony Rams out of the water.

    When questioned on the Viking’s game against the Rams, Goddard declared “We have came way too far to just give in to the #1 seeded team. The girls have consistently proved that they deserve to be at the top of the tournament, and I have no doubt in my mind that my team will leave it all on the field in Cony.”

Lady Viking Softball Progress To Playoff Tournament by Shannon Kriger

Hard work is not a foreign characteristic to the Lady Viking softball team of Oxford Hills this season. Being the #4 seeded team in Eastern Maine Class A, this talented group of girls have really set the bar high for themselves this year.

After losing in the second round of playoffs last year, the team is aiming for a very successful post-season.

The team had a strong regular season with winning 12 out of their 16 games; a record that was an improvement compared to years prior.

Although the Lady Vikings had only played the #1 seeded Cony team once this season and had lost to them, they forced the game into extra innings and gave them a run for their money.

In the first round of Eastern Maine Class A playoffs this year, the Vikings are taking on the #5 seeded team, Messalonskee. In the regular season, Oxford Hills had split with Messalonskee, winning one game against them and losing the other.

When questioned on what her prediction for the outcome of the playoff tournament is, Coach Goddard responded, “It really depends on how we play in the moment. We will travel far in the tournament if the girls work hard and play as a team.”

The team has been succeeded this year offensively by Shannon Fillebrown, Myriah Lausier, and Anna Winslow, who each possess a batting average of over .450.

Senior Crystal West has kept the team strong on defense with her solid pitching skills, along with Annika Kahkonen, the team’s valued catcher that is always active behind the home plate.

Coach Goddard believes that it is the team’s experience that sets them apart from their opponents, stating, “A lot of these girls have been playing softball since they could walk, and I easily see their passion for the game every time they on the field. I’m looking forward to seeing these girls put their hard work to use in the playoffs.”

Come support the Lady Vikings as they take on the Messalonskee Eagles on Thursday, June 9th at 4:00 pm at the Gouin complex.