JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City Hi-Liners had to get a win on the second day of the Class A State softball tournament on Friday to push their season to another day. After dropping their game on Thursday to Dickinson, Valley City would take on familiar foe, the West Fargo Packers at Trapper Field in Jamestown. The Hi-Liners would score first, but it was the Packers who win and move on with the 12-5 victory.

The afternoon started off great for Valley City. The Hi-Liners, who were the designated home team struck for a pair of runs in the top of the 1st. Autumn McGough would drive in Hadley Thoreson with an RBI single. The next batter was Emma Langemo who would bring in Bailey Leroux with and RBI single of her own. The Packers would get a run in the bottom of the inning to cut it to a 2-1 VC lead. Second inning saw the Valley City offense provide more runs. This time it was Dylann Diegel who would drive in a pair with a single. Hi-Liners would have a 5-1 lead after an inning and a half.

This is where the game would take a turn. During the top of the 2nd inning, the Packers would bring in a new pitcher. The new pitcher was Emma Johnson, and the right hander would make a difference on the mound and at the plate. After the second inning the Hi-Liner offense would go quiet thanks to the right hander of West Fargo. After the second, Valley City only produced one hit for the rest of the ball game and that came from Bailey Leroux. In the bottom of the second the Packers offense would come alive. With 2 outs in the inning, Sophie Ochocki would blast a 2-run home run to deep left center to pull the Packers with in two. The very next batter was Emma Johnson. Johnson would strike out swinging, but the ball would get away from the Valley City catcher and Johnson was off for first and as Langemo would go and retrieve the ball she would fall backwards having Johnson be safe at first and keeping the inning alive. The Following batter Courtney Docktor would bring in Johnson with an RBI double. The next batter, Sydney Dye would tie up the ball game with an RBI single scoring Docktor and making it a 5-5 game.

The Packers would take the lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning thanks to an RBI single from Katelyn Kackman. West Fargo would tack on 2 more in the home half of the 4th inning to take an 8-5 lead. The 5th inning is when the Packers would break the game open. They would put up another 4 runs in the inning with RBI base hits from Sophie Ochocki, Courtney Docktor, and Aubrey Finn. After the inning, the scoreboard showed a 12-5 lead in favor of the Packers.

With another 2 innings left, Johnson was on cruise control on the mound retiring the final 6 Valley City batters of the ball game, including striking out all three Hi-Liner hitters in the top of the 7th inning. Johnson completely turned the game on it’s side in favor of the Packers on Friday. With her keeping the inning alive after striking out and running out to first, to coming in relief on the mound and quieting the Hi-Liners bats with 5 consecutive scoreless innings to end the game. In all Johnson would finish with 8 strikeouts on the afternoon.

West Fargo goes on to win 12-5 to end the Valley City Hi-Liners season in the Class A State softball tournament. With the win, the Packers will move on to take on Grand Forks Red River on Saturday morning at Trapper Field in Jamestown.