The Jamestown College softball team started the Dakota Athletic Conference season a little later than anticipated, but it may have been worth the wait.

"After what we went through last year, where we were on the road all the time, I think it makes it a little more special playing some home games and knowing we don't have to travel six hours to play Valley City," Jimmies coach Kevin Gall said. "That's what we did last year. We had to play in Montana to play Valley City State, which is right down the road."

Heather Haegele had a field day with the Vikings' pitching staff, going 7-for-9 in two games including three doubles and seven RBIs.

"I came with a new approach to the plate on working the count and waiting for my pitch and just swinging at the one I like," the sophomore centerfielder said.

Haegele went 4-for-5 in Tuesday's opener with three RBIs. She also had three doubles, one of which helped spark a 6-run third inning to put the Jimmies up 11-8.

"I think the whole team really did well," Haegele said. "We all hit well, I think we played some pretty good defense out there and we never gave up. That shows a lot about our team."

The Jimmies, who trailed on two different occasions in the first game, combined for 13 hits in the second and third inning to help them take back the momentum and eventually build a lead they would never relinquish.

"I think the hard work that they've put in is paying off," Gall said. "We're doing the things that we need to do to make our girls successful. It's not just any one person, it's the whole contingent."

Becky Lewis got the offense going for the Jimmies in the second inning with a 2-run single to right field, sparking what eventually turned into a 5-run inning. Haegele did her part with an RBI double to deep right-center and Celene Eccles scored Haegele with a single to left field.

Senior Courtney Wong drove in the inning's final run with a single of her own to make the score 5-2 JC.

The Vikings stormed back with five runs in the top of the third to retake the lead, but the Jimmies continued to slug from the plate in the home half of the inning to eventually take over the lead for good.

Haegele and Kelsie Jensen each drove in a pair of runs in the third inning, while Eccles and Wong drove in the other two to give the Jimmies the 3-run lead.

JC added another run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to build up a 14-8 lead, which proved to be more than enough run support for Jimmie pitcher Kate Street.

Street (9-2), a junior from Stevensville, Mont., earned the win after going the distance for the Jimmies. She allowed 11 runs on 15 hits and struck out six.

"A never-give-up attitude was the key," Gall said. "We've worked real hard and done a lot of work in the offseason."

The Jimmies were again forced to overcome an early deficit in the second game after the Vikings took a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Freshman Paige Smith sent a ball sailing over the right field fence to lead off the game, and from there the Vikings added three more runs before the Jimmies were finally able to plate a runner in the second.

Lewis again sparked the offense with an RBI in the second inning on a dribbler to short stop. Haegele added two more runs when she pulled a single to left field to make the score 4-3.

Sarah Heinemann homered off Smith on the first pitch of the third inning, her seventh home run of the season, knotting the score at 4-all but it took until the home half of the fifth for the Jimmies to put the game away.

Haegele led off the fifth with a single, her sixth hit of the day and second of the game, to represent the go-ahead run.

Eccles singled and both runners advanced on a double steal to give Heinemann a chance to give the Jimmies the lead.

Heinemann hit a chopper up the middle but VCSU short stop Lacey Hauser couldn't make the play and both runners were able to score.

The error led to three runs and helped ignite an 8-run fifth inning that ended with a Wong single up the middle to win the game.

"We've got a long ways to go," Gall said. "But right now it's a good feeling knowing that we're playing well."

Jessica Lees earned the win in Game 2 after going five innings and allowing just four runs on eight hits. Lees (5-3) fanned four batters and walked one.

Jamestown College was scheduled to play again today as hosts to the University of Mary but the game was rescheduled to a later date. The Jimmies will be in action this weekend as hosts to Dickinson State University. Both Saturday's and Sunday's doubleheaders will start at 1 p.m.