This is a bit of a payoff year for the Siuslaw Vikings softball team and their coach, Sean O'Mara.

Six of nine starters are seniors, including the first four in the order — pitcher Heidi Jones, second baseman Jenicah Ecker, first baseman Claire Waggoner and catcher Nikki Launius.

None is paying dividends more than Waggoner, who Saturday was 6-for-7 from the plate, scoring 6 runs, as the Vikings swept the visiting Bandon Tigers, 10-0 and 13-3, in a pair of games shorted to 5 innings each by the 10-run rule.

Jones picked up the wins in both games, striking out 14 over 10 innings while allowing 11 hits and a walk.

The win lifted the Vikings to 3-1 on the season, with five more non-league games to play — all at home — before beginning Far West League play April 11 at Marshfield.

"The senior laden top of the batting order continued to produce solid results," O'Mara said.

"Through four games, Jones is batting .455, Ecker .333, Waggoner .714 and Launius .625."

Jones also has been a bit of a terror on the base paths, stealing 5 bases Saturday. She even tried to pilfer third base in the second game with a teammate, Mia Collins, already occupying it.

Collins was forced to race home because of the move, scoring the Vikings' fifth run of the third inning and eighth of the game.

Siuslaw got off to a fast start Saturday against the Tigers, who started five freshmen, including pitcher Allison Hennick.

The Vikings' first 6 batters in the bottom of the first inning of the opener came around to score, 2 on a single by junior Ariel Rosinbaum.

Waggoner scored the seventh run on a wild pitch in the second, Ecker singled home 2 runs in the third and the Vikings sealed the win when Ecker scored on an error in the fifth.

Jones had 9 strikeouts and scattered 3 hits.

In the second game, Waggoner, Launius and Jones were each 3-for-3 and combined to score 8 runs. Jones gave up 3 earned runs and 7 hits while striking out 5 in 5 innings.

It's a much better start to a season than the previous three. Siuslaw was 1-3 to start the 2014 season, finishing 6-14; 2-2 to start 2015, finishing 3-22, and 1-3 last season, finishing 7-15.

The Vikings hopde to build on their early success Thursday, March 30, but their doubleheader with Harrisburg was cancelled.

NOTES

Siuslaw is ranked No. 32 among Class 4A schools by the Oregon School Activities Association. ...

South Umpqua (5-0) is ranked No. 1. Other Far West League schools include No. 22 Marshfield (1-2), No. 24 North Bend (4-2), No. 28 Brookings-Harbor (2-2) and No. 36 Douglas (0-1).

2017 VIKINGS ROSTER
Number, Player, Position, Year in school
1 Ariel Rosinbaum, OF, junior
2 Katlin Meskimen, OF, junior
6 Jenicah Ecker, 2B, senior
7 Mia Collins, SS, freshman
9 Nikki Launius, C, senior
11 Heidi Jones, RHP-OF, senior
14 Sara Keel, 3B, senior
15 Claire Waggoner, 1B, senior
21 Katherin Dodson, OF, senior
27 Chehalis Stinger, U, senior
30 Abby Coday, RHP, junior

VIKINGS LOG
Record: 3 wins, 1 loss
Nonleague
March 21 — Siuslaw 18, at Sutherlin 5
March 23 — at Sweet Home 24, Siuslaw 5
March 25 — Siuslaw 10, Bandon 0, 5 innings, Game 1
March 25 — Siuslaw 13, Bandon 3, 5 innings, Game 2
March 30 — Harrisburg (DH), cancelled
Tuesday, April 4 — Tillamook, 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 8 — Coquille (DH), 1 p.m.
Far West League
Tuesday, April 11 — at Marshfield, 5 p.m.
Friday, April 14 — Marshfield (DH), 3 p.m.
Tuesday, April 18 — Douglas, 5 p.m.
Friday, April 21 — at Douglas (DH), 3 p.m.
Tuesday, April 25 — at South Umpqua, 5 p.m.
Friday, April 28 — South Umpqua (DH), 3 p.m.
Tuesday, May 2 — at Brookings-Harbor, 5 p.m.
Friday, May 5 —  Brookings-Harbor (DH), 3 p.m.
Monday, May 8 — North Bend, 5 p.m.
Thursday, May 11 — at North Bend (DH), 3 p.m.