HAYFIELD — After a couple of tough losses, the Hayfield softball team took a step towards getting its mojo back when they handed Randolph its first loss of the season in Hayfield Monday. The Vikings erased an early three-run deficit and they beat the Rockets (4-1 overall) 9-7.

Hayfield trailed 3-0 to start the game and they were down 7-6 when their bats came to life in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Vikings (3-2 overall) rattled off five straight hits to start the fifth and Grace Mindrup, Maggie Streightiff and Kate Kruger all had an RBI hit and Hayfield went up 9-7. Jackie Sanvick allowed just one hit in the last two innings to give the Vikings the win.

Sophomore shortstop Carrie Rutledge, who had three stolen bases and two runs scored had one double for the Vikings, but she walked on her other four at-bats and Hayfield drew 15 walks as a team in the win.

“We just need to get hits and get on base. We can all hit pretty well,” Rutledge said. “We had to be patient today. You really want to get a big hit, but when you’re down you’ve got to have base runners.”

Mindrup, a senior catcher, drew two walks, but she also smacked two doubles and knocked in three runs.

“[Their pitcher] missed a lot, but when she did hit the strike, it was right there and you could have a nice, solid hit,” Mindrup said.

The Vikings outscored their first two opponents 27-3, but they were outscored 14-2 in their previous two games. Hayfield, which went to the Class A state tournament last season, is still looking to find its groove.

“It’s difficult losing to teams that we had close games with last year,” Mindrup said. “Losing to them this year gave us a little different point of view on who we are as a team.”

Hayfield’s younger players will have to get up to speed and find their place on the team as the season rolls along.

“It’s a confidence thing, they just have to go out there and play,” Hayfield head coach Jana Wagner said. “We could use a couple of practices. Everything just fell into place last year and we still have some work to do this year.”

Randolph 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 — 7 7 0

Hayfield 3 2 1 0 3 0 X — 9 8 2

Hayfield pitching: Jackie Sanvick (W) 7 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 HBP

Hayfield hitting: Carrie Rutledge, 1-for-1, double, 2 R, 3 SB, 4 BBs; Alexis Dudycha, 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 SB, BB; Grace Mindrup, 2-for-3, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, 2 BBs; Maggie Streightiff, 1-for-4, RBI; Kate Kruger, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, SB; Olivia Matti, 0-for-1, 3 BBs, RBI; Sanvick, 0-for-2, RBI, 2 BBs; Kelly Johnson, 0-for-2; Nikki Cortez, 0-for-2, BB; Brooke Zahnle, 0-for-1, R, BB