The Lady Vikings traveled south Saturday for an end of the year, non-league softball challenge against the defending 2B State Champions, the Adna Pirates. Scheduled annually by Coach Scott Harris as an opportunity to play against one of the best teams in the state.

“This year I felt we played our best game against them,” Harris said despite the loss. “The teams share a great friendship.”

And both teams enjoyed an eventful evening hosted by the Pirates before the game.

The Pirates brought the challenge Harris expected in game one with the Vikings upside down at the end of the first inning 3-0.

A superb Pirate pitcher launched a mix of change ups frustrating Viking hitting to just a few singles until the fourth inning when Bella Nigretto hit a triple, bringing home Alena Janssen for the solitary Orcas RBI, nudging the score 8-1.

“Four times we had runners in scoring position, but couldn’t find the gaps to bring the runs in,” Harris said. “We had sharp defensive plays from our in fielders against some hard Pirate hits.”

By the end of the fifth inning, the 10 run rule halted the game at 11-1.

To maintain the fun of the rivalry, teams combined to make two mixed teams and enjoyed the rest of the day in preparation  for districts this Saturday in Stanwood and then hopefully state playoffs.