By Ty Pope / Staff Writer

The Missouri Valley College softball team is gearing up for two important conference games at home this weekend after a tough opening weekend in Iowa.

Currently sitting at an even 11-11 overall and 0-2 in conference play, the Vikings are hoping to turn their fortunes around against William Penn University and Grand View University.

According to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) stats, the team’s leading player this season is Freshman Aidee Mendonza with an impressive .524 batting average. On the mound, Senior Kim Horsten is leading the Vikings with a 1.94 ERA.

This past weekend, the Vikings faced off against Mount Mercy University in their first conference games of the season. Despite their best efforts, the team came up short in both games. The Sunday doubleheader against Clarke University was postponed due to weather and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Looking ahead to this weekend, the Vikings will play two conference games at home. On Saturday, they will take on William Penn University at 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday’s game will be against 16th-ranked Grand View University with games scheduled to start at 1 and 3 p.m.

The team and their fans are hoping for a strong showing in these crucial conference games. With several talented players leading the way, the Vikings are determined to turn their season around and make a run for the conference championship.