Sophomore Sara Irminger's triple with the sacks packed keyed the Lady Vikings' six-run rally against Calvin. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

The second half of the Tucson Invitational went much better for the Missouri Valley College softball team, which rebounded from a 1-5 start to split its final six games.

The Lady Vikings got the offense clicking with 19 hits in Thursday's opener, a 14-10 victory over Calvin (Mich.). The big inning was the third, and the big blow of that frame was sophomore Sara Irminger's bases-loaded triple. Junior Kimberly Fuller doubled in a run and junior Kristine Escujuri added an RBI single.

The Lady Vikings' defense, though, was shaky -- committing 11 errors during the game, three during the Knights' three-run third and five in the five-run sixth.

However, freshman Stacy Buschman slammed the door in relief, getting the final two outs in the sixth and not allowing Calvin (4-6) a hit in the seventh for her first save.

The Lady Vikings' defense remained erratic in the nightcap, with six errors for six unearned runs during an 8-4 loss to Jamestown (N.D.). Valley took a 3-0 lead in the first on a double by junior Esperanza Reyes and sophomore Sydney Kaneshiro's two-run single.

The Jimmies (6-3) hung crooked numbers on Valley during each of the first three frames. Junior Kayla Price doubled in the second run of the first frame, senior Justine Rechenmacher drove in a run after a dropped fly ball with two outs kept Jamestown's rally alive in the second and freshmen Jen Penner and Amy Shadinger knocked in runs with singles in the third.

The Lady Vikings had to come from behind to beat Judson (Ill.), 9-6, in the early game Friday.

Valley was down 6-3 before Fuller smashed a solo shot with two outs in the top of the third.

The Lady Vikings weren't done, as Kaneshiro doubled and score on junior Suzanne Horine's single -- with the tying run coming in on an error.

Sophomore Tatum Hathcock blanked the Lady Eagles (6-4) over the final five stanzas, Valley breaking a 6-6 tie on a two-run, two-out double by Kaneshiro -- who scored on freshman Ashley Gastineau's single.

There was a chance the Lady Vikings could upset 20th-ranked McKendree (Ill.), but late scoring by the visiting team gave it a 5-3 decision. Junior Amber Nicolauzyk's two-run single with two outs in the sixth broke a 1-1 tie and junior Angie Mauer's second homer of the game -- a two-run shot -- put the Lady Bearcats (5-4) up by four runs.

Valley closed the gap on junior Heather Sliger's homer with a runner aboard, but that's all it could muster during the final at-bat.

Saturday didn't start well for the Lady Vikings, losing a 9-6 contest to Waldorf (Iowa) after holding a 5-1 lead. The Lady Warriors plated five runs in the fourth, thanks to four Valley errors and senior Louise Mudra's RBI go-ahead double.

Escujuri singled and scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game in the sixth, but Waldorf (4-1) exploded for three runs in the seventh -- the game-winner coming in on junior Alicia Bata's bases-loaded bloop single -- and the Lady Vikings were unable to answer.

Valley escaped the desert on a fine note, however, pounding Dordt (Iowa), 11-1 in five innings. After the first two Lady Viking batters reached on errors in the first inning, a Sliger triple and Kaneshiro double brought in two of the team's four runs.

Junior Alana Bentz allowed the War Eagles (2-7) only one hit during the game, a solo homer by sophomore Jaclyn Ver Mulm in the fourth, but Valley answered with seven runs its next time up -- three on a Sliger dinger.

The Lady Vikings (8-13) were 4-8 during the trip, batting .321 as a team. Sliger knocked in 15 runs and Kaneshiro plated 14 as she hit .462. Valley's biggest problem was errors, booting the ball 49 times for 46 unearned runs.

With Monday's scheduled game at Park rained out, and the home and Heart of America Conference opener on Wednesday against Lindenwood already shelved, the next game for the Lady Vikings -- as matters now stand -- isn't until they host Graceland on March 26.