In a rematch of last year's Region V Tournament and NJCAA World Series, the third ranked Grayson Vikings kicked off their 2026 campaign with a doubleheader against No. 6 Odessa on Friday, Jan. 31 at the Battle of the Bosque Tournament in Waco. The Vikings came away with a split, winning game one 7-3, while Odessa won game two 6-5.

Game one

The Vikings bats came out swinging in game one. Riley Mays worked a scoreless 1-2-3 first inning, and the offense went right to work.
Aniyah Pequeno took the very first pitch she saw and drove it to left field for a leadoff triple. Jaclyn Draeger brought her home with an RBI single and a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, two errors by the Odessa defense put Maile Larsen and Matti Matthews in scoring position. Larsen scored on a passed ball and Matthews scored on a grounder from Pequeno to extend the lead to 3-0.
Odessa tied the game in the third inning after loading the bases with two outs. Angelique Iredale was hit by a pitch and Riley Cassiday tied it at 3-3 with a two run single. The game would remain tied until the fourth inning. Addisyn Cox hit a one out triple and scored on an RBI double from Matthews. The Vikings pushed their lead even further in the sixth inning. Layla Sons led off with a single and advanced to second on a walk from Cox. Pequeno hit a clutch two out single for a 5-3 lead. Draeger drew a walk to load the bases while Willa Ford worked a bases loaded walk and Olivia Smith was hit by a pitch for the sixth and seventh runs of the game.
Natalie Moreaux closed out the game with her third scoreless inning to preserve the win.
Pequeno led the offense finishing 2-4 with a pair of RBI. Draeger, Ford, Matthews and Smith all drove in a run in the win. Ford added a pair of walks, while Pequeno stole two bases.
In the circle, Mays threw four innings, giving up four hits, three runs and striking out two. Moreaux worked the final three innings, giving up just one hit, while striking out four. 

Game two

A six run third inning from Odessa College was the difference in a 6-5 loss.
The Vikings scored a run in the first inning on a Jaclyn Draeger steal of home. Aniyah Pequeno's two run triple in the second inning, made it a 3-0 lead.
Odessa tacked on six runs in the third inning. Jule Breuinger grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring a run. A bases loaded walk by Tyra Martin, followed by a two run double from Kayla Hernandez gave Odessa a 4-3 lead. Angelique Iredale tacked on a run with a single and Meret Willeke capped the innings with an RBI single.
The Vikings rallied in the fifth inning, getting singles from Matthews and Pequeno to lead off the inning. Both scored on an error later in the inning. The Vikings put a runner on in the sixth, but couldn't score.
Pequeno led the offense with a 2-4 day at the plate and a pair of RBI. Ford and Matthews each added a hit.
In the circle, Kynnedy Guthrie, Mays and Moreaux each saw time. Moreaux tossed four scoreless innings in relief, recording three strikeouts.
Viking Softball Field didn't melt in time from the winter storm that rocked Texas, so their home opener had to wait a little longer. They traveled to Paris on Monday, Feb. 2.