Southeast Valley softball kicked off their season by welcoming the Wildcats from Humboldt to Harcourt on Monday, May 22nd. 

The Jags went toe to toe with the Wildcats for 11 innings, but fell up short, losing the game 1-3. It was a pitcher’s duel until the end and senior Maddie Vansickle was dominant on the mound. Vansickle faced 44 batters and gave up just one earned run and struck out three. Vansickle kept the bats of the Wildcats quiet, forcing them to hit into a solid defense behind her, unfortunately, costly errors defined the outcome of the game in favor of Humboldt. 

Offensively, the Jags put on a show! Each girl in the line up and every girl on the team touched the dirt and contributed to the 11 game performance. Southeast Valley saw the ball well and had base runners in scoring positions in all but two of the innings played. 

The Jags were led by the battery of Maddie Vansickle and Jordyn Rowley. Vansickle and Rowley each went two for five at the plate with both girls getting themselves two singles a piece. Rowley would have the only RBI of the game when her base knock brought in fellow junior Ellie Nolte during the Jags’s half of the sixth inning. 

Despite the outcome of the game, the effort was phenomenal and the tone has been set for the rest of the season. Southeast Valley softball is back in action on Thursday against the Titans from South Central Calhoun for a non-conference matchup in Lytton.