Monday afternoon's game was a microcosm of the season so far for Winnebago Lutheran Academy's softball team.
The Vikings jumped out to an early lead, but had to hang on to earn an 8-4 win against Omro from the Fourth Street baseball diamonds.
WLA scored five runs in the first two innings and its lead grew to 8-0 by the end of the fifth.
Captain Averie Suprenand, usually the Vikings' third baseman, got the start and the win in the circle. She worked shutouts in six of the seven innings.
Omro (0-8 overall, 0-6 in Flyway) scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Foxes had scored just two runs in their first five conference games.
Suprenand struck out just two Foxes and walked four. Coach John Suprenand said going into the game, the Vikings (4-5, 2-4) knew Averie Suprenand would pitch to contact, but he credited her maturity and the defense behind her to get the win.
"They strung a few hits together," coach Suprenand said. "We knew Averie wasn’t going to mow them down. She’s not going to strike everybody out, she’s going to throw to her defense and really that’s what kept us in the game. We didn't have an error.
"[Averie Suprenand] is probably going to have to get thrown into some pretty important moments and I think she has matured as a player and knew her job."
The senior pitcher helped her own cause with her offensive performance; she went three-for-three with three RBIs and two runs. She said she thinks the offensive performances will continue to improve for WLA.
"We’re just coming out more relaxed and knowing that we can hit the ball if it’s in the zone," Suprenand said.
Suprenand said she is just trying to find joy in her senior season, even when games aren't going WLA's way.
"I don’t have those five to seven pitches, but with the two fastball and changeup I have, it’s been fun because I get to practice with my dad, just him sitting on a bucket," Suprenand said. "I try to find joy in it. With our low numbers, I just try to have fun with it and that’s what I have to do for my team this year."
The Vikings other senior captain, Leah Matthias, went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
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