Softball Game Preview: Sevastopol Pioneers vs. Valders Vikings

The Sevastopol Pioneers will face off against the Valders Vikings at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Valders will square off against a team with plenty of momentum: Sevastopol extended their winning streak to seven on Tuesday. The Pioneers were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over Coleman. While the Pioneers didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.

Valders came out on top against Chilton on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run seventh inning. The Vikings blew past the Tigers 10-4. With that win, the Vikings brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.

Megan Hochkammer made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.

In other batting news, Anna Olson was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Makayla Dallas, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.

Sevastopol's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-2. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Valders, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-4.