McIvor’s homer helps Vikings to comeback win

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This article was published 30/04/2025 (367 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Macey McIvor had to watch that ball fly.

She knows she’s supposed to put her head down and hustle to first base, but the Vincent Massey Vikings junior knew it was a no-doubter.

McIvor’s two-run home run helped Massey erase a five-run deficit to beat the Neelin Spartans 17-11 in Brandon High School Softball League action at Ashley Neufeld Softball Complex on Wednesday.

“It felt fantastic because I’ve been in a little bit of a slump,” McIvor said.

“It felt so good because the ball, when you connect with it, feels like nothing really. I watched it go over, which I probably shouldn’t do but it felt really good and it was really fun.

“It’s good in a close game because it helps out even more.”

The Vikings jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of a few early errors as the top of the order pressured the Spartans’ defence.

Massey led 4-1 after two innings but the Neelin bats came alive in a big way. After Reese Schutte was the first to score for the visiting side, the other eight players in her lineup all touched home stringing singles and doubles together.

The Spartans made it 9-4 and stayed up 9-6 after the bottom half of the inning.

The Vikings forced a three-up, three-down inning, then went back to work as McIvor’s bomb drove in Kendra Grift, and then the Vikings plated two more runs to pull back ahead 10-9.

“We know we can bat well and we know we have strong defence,” McIvor said. “We focus on that and just try to get through the innings short and quick when we’re fielding.”

Lila Oldcorn blasted a triple to spark a two-run inning for the Spartans, who held the lead until the sixth when the floodgates opened.

The Vikings (2-0) rolled through the order, plating seven runs while Quinn Twordik threw four strikeouts in two quiet innings in relief to drop the Spartans to 1-1.

“It was huge. It felt really good to just know she could come in, be our anchor and end it off really strong,” McIvor said, adding the sixth inning was big for her team’s confidence.

“It felt a lot more positive, the cloud over our head wasn’t there because, in the moment, you’re stressed out that it might go bad. When you get that momentum, you start rolling and it feels pretty good.”

Mya Duncan-Gagnon posted three hits and three runs for the Vikings while Jade Campbell reached home a game-high four times.

Emily Beckwith and Kennedy Smith each had two hits and a run for Neelin.

The Spartans play the Crocus Plainsmen (0-2) today, with a spot in the final on the line. A Neelin win ensures a rematch with Massey for the city crown.

BASEBALL: Madden Cheung struck out 11 batters to power the Vikings to a 15-1 win over the Plainsmen in their Prairie West High School Baseball League opener at Sumner Field on Wednesday. Cheung threw the complete game while teammate Sawyer Wallin went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Mason Twordik hit and inside-the-park grand slam. Colby Plewes took the loss for Crocus, giving up five runs on five hits in two innings with two strikeouts.

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