“We’re running the bases quite well,” MVL head coach Nate Otto said. “We’re trying to force a lot of those pieces to get our runners around the bags without having to necessarily always get a hit. We’re trying to get our runners to make sure they’re getting as many bags as they can.

“Then we are trying to focus on a lot of hitting. Whether we are getting a tick or we’re getting a foul or something, putting contact on the ball every moment that we can. That has been a big priority last week in our practices and as we warm up. It’s really been a big focus for us to be able to see as much as we can what kind of contact we can make with the ball as the ball is coming across the plate.”

MVL improves to 4-3 and will host Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial in a doubleheader on Tuesday.

“Belive it or not, we’re still focused on fundamentals,” coach Otto said. “That is our core balance. We come back to every practice after a game, win or loss, and we hit the fundamentals. We’re working on picking up grounders, making sure we’re catching fly balls — in the wind, like today, it’s super beneficial.

Staff photo by Ari Selvey Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Caitlyn Kock slides into third during a nonconference softball game against Medford Monday at MVL High School.

“We practiced the other day hitting the ball in the sky and letting them just track the ball, and we found success in that. Going back to our fundaments and working on the basic skills has been something super important to us in our practices, and we’re starting to see that be a really important piece on game days.”

Nora Grace Otto earned the win in the circle for MVL, striking out two while allowing two runs, one earned, on one hit. Nora Rodewald pitched two hitless, scoreless innings. At the plate for the Chargers, Kenzie Graham was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Jess Meunier was 2 for 2 with two runs scored. Sophie Dalueg had a hit and two RBIs.

Medford took the first lead of the game, going up 2-0 in the top of the third, But MVL second baseman Morgan Black turned a double play to end the inning. MVL responded offensively, scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning. Graham singled to bring home Meunier, then Dalueg doubled to score Graham and Caitlyn Kock for a 3-2 lead.

The MVL defense stood strong as well, not committing an error despite high wind speeds.

“We’re super young, but we’re seeing some things as we continue to grow,” coach Otto said. “At practices, we’re seeing a lot more of those pieces come together and we’re making good connections. As our pitchers rotate, we have to change the lineup up a little bit, and I did a whole new batting lineup today to get us through that lineup.

“But our defense is definitely something that’s picking up and we’re working more cohesively as a team. We’re starting to see some of those pieces, even in our warmup. We’re trying to get a lot more people in our rotations and putting people at different bases. Our whole as a defense is something that’s super important, as a team unit, not just as individuals.”

After holding Medford scoreless in the top of the fourth, MVL added three more runs in the bottom of the inning, with Kaitlyn Stadick scoring on a wild pitch, Kock coming home on a single from Grace Onken, and Onken scoring on a passed ball for a 6-2 lead. The Chargers sealed the victory in the bottom of the sixth, with Meunier scoring on an error put into play by Onken, and Onken scoring on a double from Graham to go up 8-2.