The Fastpitch Chronicle

Coming off a tough 3-2 loss in 11 innings at Lake Mills last Friday, the Wisconsin Lutheran Vikings bounced back and had a phenomenal week, winning all five of their games to bring their record to 15-2 with three games left in the regular season next week. Pitcher Sydney Vitangcol played a huge role in the team’s success, both in the circle and at the plate.

On Tuesday, in the first game of a doubleheader at Greendale, Vitangcol threw a seven-inning no-hitter in the 4-0 win, striking out 22 of the 24 batters she faced, tying the state record of 22 strikeouts in a seven-inning game that was set by Northwestern commit Riley Grudzielanek on April 4, 2022. The Vikings were led offensively by Vitangcol, who went 3-for-4. Kenly Frey, Katie Meyer, Eden Rader, and Tabby Fromm all  added hits.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Vikings fell behind 4-0 in the 1st inning, but battled back for a 6-5 win on Chloe Koschnitzke’s walk-off single. Eight of the nine Vikings recorded a hit in the game. Vitangcol once again went 3-for-4 and was intentionally walked in the bottom of the 7th inning with the winning run on second base and two outs. Meyer also went 3-for-4, and Koschnitzke and Rader added two hits each. Vitangcol pitched 6 2/3 innings in relief and gave up one run, two hits, and a walk, while adding 14 more strikeouts for a total of 36 strikeouts in the two games, giving her 400 career strikeouts.

On Thursday, the Vikings had a crucial matchup at home with New Berlin Eisenhower. Ike has been ranked in the WFSCA/WisSports.net Softball Coaches Poll all season and was #4 in Division 2 heading into the matchup. Ike was also unbeaten in Woodland West conference play and had previously beaten the Vikings 4-2, so the Vikings needed to win to keep their conference title hopes alive. The Vikings loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 1st inning on a hit-by-pitch and two walks, but were unable to score. Ike had a scoring threat in the top of the 4th inning on a leadoff single and a bunt single, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with only one out and the cleanup and fifth hitter coming up, but Vitangcol escaped by striking them both out. With the game still scoreless in the bottom of the 5th inning, Vitangcol hit a two-run home run to dead center. The Vikings also added an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th inning. Vitangcol pitched a three-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts and no walks and was backed by error-free defense by the Vikings.

The Vikings ended the week with more error-free defense and stellar pitching by Vitangcol in back-to-back no-hitters on Friday and Saturday, including a perfect game on Friday in a 4-0 conference home win against Pius XI Catholic. In Friday’s perfect game, Vitangcol had 15 strikeouts, and at the plate, she was 2-for-2 with a walk, a double, a triple, and three runs scored in the 4-0 win. Koschnitzke was 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. In Saturday’s no-hitter, a 6-0 non-conference home win against Brookfield East, Vitangcol had 10 strikeouts and allowed the only runner to reach base on a walk. The Vikings defense had her back with eight putouts by the outfield. At the plate, Vitangcol went 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.

The Vikings end their season next week with a crossover game against South Milwaukee on Monday, a conference away game at New Berlin West on Tuesday, and a conference home game against New Berlin on Thursday. The Vikings need to win both New Berlin West games to clinch a share of the Woodland West title with Ike, which would be their second year in a row as conference co-champions. Last year, they shared the title with New Berlin West.

For the week, these were Vitangcol’s stats:

Batting (18 plate appearances): .786 AVG/.833 OBP/2.190 OPS, double, two triples, HR, 9 R, 4 RBI

Pitching (34.2 IP): 0.20 ERA, 0.23 WHIP, 74 SO, 3 BB

For the season, these are Vitangcol’s stats:

Batting (57 plate appearances): .660 AVG/.719 OBP/1.762 OPS, 8 doubles, two triples, 2 HR, 28 R, 17 RBI

Pitching (85.2 IP): 0.57 ERA, 0.41 WHIP, 191 SO, 12 BB