Vikings lose 2-3 at Warner softball tournament

Vallecitos Elementary School competed in a softball tournament against six teams at Warner Elementary School, April 11. The Vikings lost 2-3.

"We were competitive, which was nice," Vallecitos coach Ray Hanbeck said.

There are seven small elementary schools in northern San Diego County and southern Riverside County which have monthly competitions and each school hosts a different sport. Pauma Elementary School did not field any team for the recent softball tournament. The tournaments have separate boys and girls events, but Vallecitos had only six girls so the Vikings played in the boys and coed competition.

"We weren't able to get enough of the girls to make a team, so we had a coed team this year," Hanbeck said.

Three of the Vallecitos girls played regularly including one who let a fifth grade boy participate for some of the games. Vallecitos had18 players, although not all took to the field to play.

"The other kids were there more to get experience and learn how to play," Hanbeck said.

None of the 18 Vallecitos players participate in Little League Baseball, Pony League Baseball or American Softball Association leagues.

"I had to do a lot of teaching," Hanbeck said.

Some of the Vallecitos students had participated in last year's softball tournament, but many of them had no previous softball or baseball experience.

"It's more of a learning curve," Hanbeck said.

The Vikings were competitive despite that lack of experience.

"That says a lot for their enthusiasm," Hanbeck said.

Most of the Vikings who played are eighth grade or seventh-grade students. One sixth-grader and the fifth-grader saw action during the five games.

The games were four innings, although they were shortened if the first three innings lasted 25 minutes and in one case the Vikings were tied after four frames and played an extra inning.

Vallecitos opened with a game against Borrego Springs Elementary School. The Vikings had a 4-2 lead after the top of the third inning, but the Coyotes scored five times in the bottom of the third. The 25-minute limit called the game after three innings and gave Borrego Springs a 7-4 victory.

The first Vallecitos win of the tournament was against Warner Elementary School. A walk-off hit in the bottom of the fourth gave the Vikings a 4-3 triumph.

Julian Elementary School held the Vikings scoreless in a 7-0 game. Next, Vallecitos played Cottonwood Elementary School, which is in Aguanga. That game was tied after four innings, but Vallecitos scored in the bottom of the fifth for a 7-6 win.

Tournament play for Vallecitos concluded with an 8-0 loss to Hamilton Elementary School of Anza.

Hanbeck said he is not disappointed about the shutout losses to Julian and Hamilton.

"They had experienced players who knew how to play," he said. "I was proud of them. I was happy with the way they played. They had nothing to be ashamed of."

Julian Elementary School will host next month's track and field meet, May 2 or on a rain make-up date.