Drew Williams struck out 11 batters and Savannah Watterson belted a solo home run to lift the Grant Union/Prairie City Lady Prospector softball team to a season-opening 5-1 victory over Vale on Saturday, March 16, at Vale High School.

The Lady Pros had the Lady Vikings playing catch-up right from the start, scoring a pair of runs in the opening inning following a Watterson RBI triple and an RBI ground out by Williams that left the score at 2-0. Williams would walk two Lady Viking batters in the bottom of the first but would strike out the final batter of the inning to leave two Lady Viking runners stranded on base.

The Lady Vikings would get their lone score of the afternoon in the bottom of the third following a passed ball that allowed the Vale runner on third to cross home plate. Savannah Watterson would respond in the bottom of the fourth, belting a fly ball to center field that cleared the outfield fence for a solo home run and a 3-1 Lady Pro lead headed into the fifth.

The Lady Pros would give themselves a bit more breathing room in the fifth, scoring their fourth run of the game following a bold steal of home by Reece Jacobs. The Lady Pros would log their final run in the top of the seventh after a Sivanna Hodge single drove in Jacobs for a 5-1 lead.

A three-up, three-down bottom of the seventh euthanized any hopes of a Lady Viking rally, leaving the Lady Pros with a 5-1 road win to start the season.

Williams picked up the win for the Lady Pros, pitching a complete game while surrendering two hits and a single run to go with her 11 strikeouts.

Watterson’s hot bat picked up right where it left of at the end of last season, with the junior finishing a stellar 3-4 at bat with a pair of RBIs and runs scored. Hodge and Williams finished with an RBI each.

Head coach Zach Williams said this opener was a unique circumstance as it was on the road and a first for him as far as he knows.

“I don’t believe I have ever started my season as the head coach on the road, so that was new, but a good challenge,” he said. “Not sure the girls even noticed, so that was good.”

Like last year’s team, clutch hitting a strong pitching should make this year’s Lady Prospectors squad a tough team to beat.

“The combination of those things, plus depth at pitcher if we need it and a very tough defense, are what is always going to give us a shot at beating people,” Williams said. “Our hitting lineup is really good, and early in the year it’s our job to just figure out how they fit together the best.”

The success the team has enjoyed comes with the sense that the Lady Pros have a target on their backs. Williams said that was true even before they won the state title, and it’s something he’s talked about with the girls.

“I don’t think the target is bigger — I think the target has been squarely there for a few years — but we have discussed how last year doesn’t promise anything for this year,” he said. “We have discussed creating a positive culture and team chemistry that provided for their success last year and how we find it again.

“We still talk constantly about making routine plays routine, doing little things right, and doing our jobs every pitch, every inning, all game long,” he added. “Coupled with many discussions about being intentional at practice and making sure that we are getting better every day.”

The ladies are 1-0 and sit at fifth in the latest OSAA 2A softball rankings. They’ll hit the diamond next against Burns/Crane on Thursday, March 21, at the Seventh Street Sports Complex in John Day.

Start time for the game is 5 p.m.