Softball Game Preview: Leipsic Vikings vs. Van Buren Black Knights

The Leipsic Vikings will hit the road for the first time this season to face off against the Van Buren Black Knights at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Leipsic will be strutting in after a win while Van Buren will be coming in after a loss.

Leipsic will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Thursday, then bounced right back against Ottawa-Glandorf on Tuesday. The Vikings were the clear victors by an 11-2 margin over the Titans. The Vikings haven't had any issues with the Titans recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.

Alexys Hermiller spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up 11 Ks.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Ava Schroeder, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, three doubles, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Peyton Schroeder, who went 1-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.

Meanwhile, Van Buren started off well but failed to capitalize on an early lead against Patrick Henry. They came up short against the Patriots on Tuesday, falling 14-2.

The win got Leipsic back to even at 1-1. As for Van Buren, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 1-1.

Leipsic might still be hurting after the 13-0 loss they got from Van Buren in their previous matchup back in May of 2023. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.