High school softball: Silverwolves grab preseason victory over Vikings

PLEASANT GROVE — For a young, inexperienced squad, the Riverton softball team is certainly racking up the victories to start off the season, with three wins and no losses under their belts. They'll prepare for a trip to the tournaments in St. George this weekend.

The Silverwolves stopped by Pleasant Grove to take on the Vikings on Tuesday afternoon, and despite a few ups and downs throughout the game, the Riverton girls were able to sneak away with their third victory with a 4-3 score over the home team.

Riverton got off to an inauspicious start, and the Vikings were pleased with their first inning as Pleasant Grove pitcher Angie Mikalauski tossed three quick outs to the tough-hitting Silverwolves just before her team picked up a pair of runs to give her a quick 2-0 lead after one inning.

A double by Lisa Castleberry, a walk to Regan Weber and a two-run double to the gap in right center by Mackenzie Larson were key in those first two runs. But then things started falling apart for the Vikings and picking up for the Silverwolves.

"I think we struggled today. It was a little rocky, and we had a hard time focusing. Things got better as the game went on, and we've got some good bats. We made their pitcher pitch a lot of balls," said Riverton coach Emily Bateman.

A single by Kylie Hogue led things off for the Silverwolves in the top of the second, followed by an out and a fielder's choice that found the runner safe on the play. A sacrifice groundout RBI to Pleasant Grove pitcher Karlie Carter put the Silverwolves' first run on the board, and shortly after an RBI single to Whitley Haimin evened everything up at 2-2.

Carter made it through the bottom of the second without a blip from the pitching circle, but the Silverwolves snagged a run to take a slim 3-2 lead in the top of the third on singles by Trina Gomez and Annie Thomas along with a run-scoring wild pitch.

The Silverwolves didn't maintain their lead for long, though, as the Vikings came back in the bottom of the third with a single by Castleberry, the only error of the game on an overthrow to first base, and a sacrifice bunt RBI by Larson, who knotted all three RBIs for her team against Riverton.

But the final run of the game didn't take the Silverwolves long to achieve, as they came out strong in the top of the fourth with a Carter double that dropped just over the first baseman's head and landed on the baseline. A single by Jen Henderson knocked the run home and gave the Silverwolves the slim 4-3 margin that would stand up the rest of the game.