After securing back-to-back wins in a doubleheader at home against Carroll University this past Sunday but dropping a pair of one-run games to UW-Platteville, the team’s record sits at an impressive 18-6. The team went three for four on the weekend, going 1-1 against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater the day beforehand. With standout performances from both the offense and defense, the squad continues to build momentum as it heads into the second half of the season.
The Vikings have been excelling, winning many games in a highly packed schedule and maintaining high levels of energy despite the physical demands of doubleheaders. Doubleheaders are long and tiring, sometimes making it hard for morale to be high, even after a win.
“They are a lot more tiring and straining than they are to just single games, just because they are longer,” junior pitcher Lauren Koster said. “Our dugout is rocking, and 200% of the time, there’s no break in any volume from the dugout. I think that just keeping that energy up is how we power through–definitely having the energy in the dugout transfers into the field big time.”
To build a strong record, the team not only keeps the energy high, but they also have been consistently practicing and skill-building since January. Preseason helped the players rebuild skills to come in strong for the season. Early practices also aid in team bonding, growing the team in skill and their relationships with each other.
“I think [preseason practices] really helped build our skills,” First-Year Alexis Duke said. “We all have a good bond with each other because we spend so much time together. We all just know that we can lean on each other for anything.”
With high energy and determination in the dugout comes a tight team, which translates to their play on the field. They can make quick adjustments during games and are able to rely on one another, putting all of their trust in each other. Junior Emily Gad is entering her third season with the team and has a great understanding of how the players on the team mesh together.
“We all have each other to lean on,” Gad said. “We’re all there for each other to back each other up and to push each other further and to give each other the energy that we all need in the dugout.”
After the action-packed stretch from Friday, April 12, to Monday, April 14, the Vikings sit tied for second place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). They are only behind Illinois Wesleyan University and tied with Carthage College as they head into a critical stretch of conference games.
The team will be in action next on Friday, April 18, for a doubleheader against Elmhurst University on the road, followed by a doubleheader against North Central College the next day on the road as well. As the season starts to wind down, these games will be a good test for the Vikings, who have shown they can play with any team in the Midwest.