Vikings pitcher Heidi Jones huddles with her infielders, including fill-in catcher Anna Petras and first baseman Claire Waggoner.

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Spring weather has allowed Siuslaw coach Tim O"Mara precious few chances to experiment with what works best for his Vikings softball team.

Thursday he may have settled on a top of the order that may prove effective this season as Far West League play looms next week.

"We're still playing with it a bit, trying to maximize our runs at the top of the order," O'Mara said, following the Vikings' 15-8 victory over the visiting Sutherlin Bulldogs.

Thursday's offense, which featured 14 hits, was especially encouraging given the Vikings were playing without two regulars.

Junior first baseman Claire Waggoner, batting leadoff for the first time this season, was 4-for-5 with 4 runs scored and 2 RBIs to lead the attack.

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Junior center fielder Anna Stonelake is settled in the No. 2 hole, with slugging third baseman Taylor Dotson, a senior, getting comfortable moving up from cleanup to No. 3.

"Taylor was getting up with like two outs or she was leading off," O"Mara said. "With that big bat of hers, I'd rather not have her at that position.

"At Elmira we moved her to the 3 spot and that worked pretty well."

He also may have found his cleanup hitter in senior Anna Petras, who continues to make solid contact with the softball.

One of her drives, with the bases loaded, took the Bulldogs' center fielder to the fence.

"Yeah, I thought it was going to make it over," Petras said. "It felt pretty good."

O'Mara had a good view from his third-base coaching position.

"Anna was pretty close, the center fielder was two steps from the fence," he said. "She hits the ball really hard. There's no reason she couldn't be a cleanup hitter."

Petras is the Vikings' plug-in-most-any-position player. The transfer from California likely will start at shortstop on most days. Thursday she was starting at catcher in place of the absent regular, junior Nikki Launius.

"I caught pretty much all the games (in California)," Petras said. "It was good to come back. It didn't feel new."

Gifted with a strong arm and good athletic skills, she is playing shortstop for the first time.

"I love any position I play," Petras said, who admits getting used to the weather has been the biggest challenge. "It's a huge adjustment for me.

"But I love these girls. I'm proud to be part of the Viking Family."

For the most part, O"Mara liked what he saw from the softball unit of the Viking Family.

"We're starting to get settled," he said. "That's what happens when you have a chance to go outside and get some games in.

"You start to find what your strengths are, and you start to build on them."

NOTES

Junior pitcher Heidi Jones had 5 strikeouts and 4 walks in the game. She gave up no earned runs, with the Vikings committing 9 errors behind her. ...

Jones also was 2-for-3 at the plate, with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs. ... Junior second baseman Jenicah Ecker was 2-for-2 with a run scored and 2 RBIs. ...

The Vikings, who have had four games rained out, have lost a fifth game to an overzealous schedule maker. Saturday's doubleheader with visiting Junction City was changed to a single game because that school over-scheduled. ...

O'Mara batted Petras at leadoff and Waggoner at cleanup at Elmira earlier in the week, then switched them against Sutherlin.  "Claire and Anna are good about giving information to the rest of the team, how the ball is breaking, what's the umpire's strike zone," he said. "They're high-intelligence softball athletes, and I like having them at the top of the order." ...

The Vikings — 2-3 on the season — have two more preleague contests, Saturday's game with Junction City and Tuesday's game at Tillamook. They open Far West League play on Friday, April 8, at Marshfield. ...

"We need a couple more games for sure," O"Mara said. "I wish it were three, and not two. We're stuck with what we've got. Hopefully we don't get rained out against Tillamook." ...

LINESCORE
Thursday, March 31, at Siuslaw High School softball field

SUTHERLIN        020 330 0 —   8      4     5
SIUSLAW            326 013 X — 15    14     9
Winning pitcher — Heidi Jones (2-3). Losing pitcher — Savannah Carrillo.