The Northwood-Kensett and Lake Mills softball teams started their seasons Monday night with a game squaring off against one another.

The game was tight through the first 4 1/2 innings, when the Vikings opened their lead to six and ran away with  the game. winning, 13-7.

The Bulldogs struck first in the top of the first inning. Senior Kristyn Throne walked, followed by junior Megan Groe being hit by a pitch. Throne came across the plate on a passed ball before the inning ended to make the score 1-0.

The Vikings came back and took a lead of their own in the bottom of the inning. Junior Peyton Panburn hit in one run, while an error scored two more runs.

Northwood-Kensett gifted a run back in the top of the second with an error at the plate, but got out of the inning, leaving two runners in scoring position.

After a scoreless second inning for the Vikings, the Bulldogs tacked on two runs in the third to take back a one-run lead. The runs scored on a passed ball and an RBI single by junior Kate Groe.

The Vikings responded in a big way, scoring five runs in the bottom of the third. A sacrifice fly from junior Kennedy Eskildsen and three straight bases-loaded walks from juniors Jaela Parks and Alexis Halbach and freshman Carly Hengesteg, and a single from sophomore Kayle Senne, contributed to the runs.

With the score at 8-4 in favor of the Vikings, both teams failed to push any runs across in the fourth inning. The Bulldogs pulled a little closer in the fifth inning, scoring two runs via wild pitches in the fifth; however, a three-RBI triple by Viking’s senior Laura Hopperstad and RBI single by senior Allie Camen extended the lead out of reach.

Senne hit in another run for the Vikings for good measure in the bottom of the sixth, putting the score at 13-6 heading into the final inning.

Lake Mills junior Hope Levine scored on a passed ball in the top of the seventh, but the Bulldog’s run would come up short.

The Bulldogs fall to 0-1 to start the season and will play again Wednesday night at home against Rockford.

The Vikings move to 1-0 to open the season and will host Garner-Hayfield/Ventura Thursday night.

Game results

Northwood-Kensett 13, Lake Mills 7

LM  112 020 1 — 7

NK  305 041 X — 13

Northwood-Kensett pitching: Kennedy Eskildsen 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 K, 3 BB; Kayla Senne 4 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 K, 3 BB

Northwood-Kensett batting: 0-3, 2 BB, 1 R; Kayla Senne 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI; Laura Hopperstad 1-4, 2 R, 3 RBI; Allie Carmen 3-3, 2 R, 1 RBI; Peyton Pangburn 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Kennedy Eskildsen 0-4, 1 R; Jaela Parks 1-2, 2 R, 1 RBI; Alexis Halbach 4 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R

Lake Mills batting: Brooke Bergo 0-4; Kristyn Throne 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB; Megan Groe 0-3; Jessa Gasteiger 1-4, 1 R; Faith Cox 1-4, 1 R; Hope Levine 1-2, 3 R, 2 BB; Kit Byars 0-2, 1 R, 1BB; Kate Groe 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB; Olivia Moen 1-3, 1 BB