North Kitsap softball defeated Kingston 7-3 thanks to a five-run performance in the first inning April 26.

“Our offense hasn’t been like how we are capable of,” NK coach Clay Blackwood said. “This is the first time I saw us string a bunch together. We have been working hard on trying to stay through the ball and drive it through the middle of the field.”

Although Kingston had a couple of errors in the first inning, the Vikings found gaps in the infield and moved the runners one base at a time.

“The first inning is what I have been hoping for day in and day out where we can produce runs, hit the ball hard and get a lead,” Blackwood said. “Those first couple of innings are what we can be.”

After the first inning, Kingston outscored NK 3-2 for the next six innings.

“We had a couple of mental errors,” Kingston coach Brenda George said of the first inning. “I told them how we did once we threw away our nerves after the first inning.”

Viking Reyna Blackwood picked up an RBI single in the second inning while Kingston’s Tegan Stanford picked up 2 RBIs while reaching second base on a line drive that went out of play.

Both teams scored a run in the sixth inning to make it 7-3.

The NK first baseman stretches to make a play.