The Valhalla Norsemen will be taking part in a tournament against the Madison Warhawks at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (Valhalla 2.8, Madison 2.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Madison will be up against a hot Valhalla team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. Valhalla's pitcher stepped up to hand Monte Vista a 7-0 shutout on Monday. That looming 7-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Norsemen yet this season.
Not much got past Jesse McCormick, who gave up just five hits to keep Monte Vista off the board. McCormick has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Mace Wheeler was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in May of 2024. Josh Rivera was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 1-for-5.
Valhalla was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Monte Vista only posted a batting average of .192.
Meanwhile, Madison suffered their closest loss since April 23, 2024 on Saturday. They fell just short of Santa Fe Christian by a score of 6-4.
Dakota James made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Landis Nguyen, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Madison's defeat dropped their record down to 3-3. As for Valhalla, their win bumped their record up to 3-1.
Valhalla's speedy runners might be the difference in Monday's contest. Valhalla has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Madison, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Valhalla continue to outrun the ball?
Valhalla suffered a grim 13-1 defeat to Madison in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Can Valhalla avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.