The Southeast Valley softball team opened the 2024 campaign in Humboldt on Monday night against the Wildcats. The game would be ended early due to inclement weather, but not before the Jags were able to get the win by a score of 5-2 after five complete innings of play. 

The Jags walked into Humboldt territory confident, eager, and ready to strike and that was proven in the first inning when they took the lead 1-0. Senior shortstop Ellie Nolte worked a full count, winning the battle by ripping a single into center field. After stealing second, successfully, junior infielder Chloe Lambert would bring her in on a center field line drive of her own. The second inning would be silent for the Jags and Humboldt took full advantage, regaining the lead 2-1 as a result of a couple costly Jaguar errors, but the Jags would have an answer for that in the fourth inning when the middle of the lineup got hot and hitting was contagious. Senior outfielder Alex Kitchen would lace one up the middle to start the inning. Kitchen would then pass the bat to junior catcher Lauren Eslick who then passed it to sophomore outfielder Riley Carlson. Eslick and Carlson would both reach base after each reaching on a walk. Kitchen, Eslick, and Carlson would wind up scoring later in the inning to give Southeast Valley the 5-2 lead. Kitchen and Eslick would score by stealing home on a passed ball by the Humboldt catcher meanwhile both Carlson and fellow sophomore Brooke Peterson would be brought home on an RBI single off the bat of senior second baseman Kenna Scott. 

In the circle for Southeast Valley, the Jags debuted a new, but familiar face. Sophomore Rian Schlief would get the start and produced great numbers for the Jags. Schlief would face 15 batters and with the help of the defense behind her, would retire nine. Junior Chloe Lambert came on in relief in the fourth and fifth innings, facing and retiring seven of eight batters faced. Lambert and Schlief would combine for five strikeouts, just three walks, and two runs (one earned). 

Southeast Valley softball is back in action later this week at home against South Central Calhoun on Thursday and West Central Valley on Friday for two JV/Varsity contests starting at 5:30 before competing in the Bob Morgan Classic hosted by Ogden on Saturday morning.