Softball Recap: Middleton Picks Up Ninth Consecutive Victory

Vikings

Previous Games

03/22/25 vs Fruitland	20-0
03/22/25 vs Gooding	3-1
03/21/25 vs Sugar-Salem	16-0
03/21/25 vs Century	20-1
03/20/25 vs Elko	3-1
+ 4 more games

Middleton put another one in the bag on Saturday to keep their perfect season alive. They never let the Fruitland Grizzlies get on the board and left with a 20-0 win. That's more bragging rights for the Vikings, who also won the pair's last head-to-head.

Averi Gustafson made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.

In other batting news, Dawn Holman was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Natalie Miklancic, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.

Middleton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Fruitland only posted an OBP of .167.

Middleton's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-0. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Fruitland, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-4 record this season.

Middleton will head out on the road to face off against Vallivue at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Fruitland, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Melba at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Fruitland's pitchers better be ready for this one: Melba has averaged an impressive 7 runs per game this season.