The first game of the season was delayed by 24 hours, but it didn’t matter.

The Valley Central Vikings posted a five-run third inning on their way to a 7-2 win in a non-league softball game on March 26 to open the Spring 2024 season at Valley Central High School in Montgomery.

“It feels really good (to get a win),” Valley Central’s Audrey Conklin said. “Coming out strong and playing as a team. We’ve just got to keep that going all season.”

Conklin capped off the third when she drilled a pitch from Alina Ferguson into the right-center field gap, splitting Newburgh center fielder Parker Mullarkey and right fielder Morgan White.

“It felt really good off the bat,” Conklin said. “I just saw it go and I was like, ‘I’ve just got to keep going because it’s a long run.”

With no fence to stop the ball, it was off to the races for Conklin, who sprinted around the bases for a two-run home run.

“You just have to buckle up and get going,” Conklin said.

That was more than enough for the Vikings’ pitching staff, as Bella Mayo held the Goldbacks scoreless for four innings. Mayo allowed three hits, walked one and struck out one.

“Everything was, pretty much, working,” Mayo said.

Emily Sharpe finished the game with three innings, allowing two fifth inning runs on a pair of wild pitches. But she buckled down, to finish with two scoreless innings.

Sharpe finished allowing two runs, one earned, struck out two and walked one.

“It shows her resilience as a pitcher to come through and know we’re allowed to walk people, and we’re allowed to do things, as long as you come back stronger, and she did,” Valley Central coach Katie Farrugia said.

The Vikings failed to score in the first two innings but did most of their damage in the third when Mackenzie Hinspeter and Adrianna Ferraro led off with base hits.

Then, with runners on second and third base, Eleanor O’Neill laid down a bunt in front of home plate, and Hinspeter slid home under the tag of Newburgh catcher Melissa Schulze. Emma Moore singled home a run and Kayla Fenner drove in another with a sacrifice fly.

“It really picked us up,” Conklin said. “We were a little down in the beginning just knowing that we couldn’t get a run in. But I think as we kept scoring all those runs, it really just brought us up and the energy increased.”

Then, Conklin delivered the capper.

“It definitely gave me more confidence knowing my team had my back with all those hits and runs,” Mayo said.

O’Neill drove in another run in the fourth inning with a base hit and Amelia Brundage scored when Moore was hit by a pitch, giving the Vikings a 7-0 lead.

“They were all team for us,” Farrugia said. “Everybody was able to contribute in their own way, which is the only thing I can ask for.”

The Vikings finished the week with a 2-0 win over the Wallkill Panthers. Autumn Strobach Singled home a run and Lindsay Serrao reached and scored on an error.
Emma Hunt took the loss for the Panthers.