Viking victory: Alyssa Vallad homer wins title for St. Johns River State College softball

A national championship is coming home to Palatka.

Alyssa Vallad blasted a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading St. Johns River State College past Kirkwood Community College 7-5 in Saturday's National Junior College Athletic Association Division II softball championship.

Vallad's blast concludes an unforgettable run for the Vikings, who won five games in six days in the NJCAA finals at Tyger River Park in Spartanburg, S.C.

St. Johns River State College (55-10), which has three campuses but plays its home softball games in Palatka, won 2-0 against Des Moines Area Community College; 4-2 against Parkland College, the nation's No. 1 seed; 10-8 against Louisburg College; and 10-6 against Kirkwood, before meeting the Iowa-based school for a second time in the final.

St. Johns bounced back from near-disaster in the top of the seventh. They led 4-1 and recorded the first two outs in the inning before Kirkwood rallied. Brenna Ross doubled to left and scored on an Sailor Hall double; Kirkwood stayed live when an error by Vallad scored Hall and advancing Sydney Roe to first; and Kiya Johnson homered to left to push Kirkwood into a 5-4 lead.

But the Vikings responded: Former Creekside High School standout Kendall Catherwood reached on a bunt single and stole second, scoring the tying run on Caylee Elder's double. Then, a half-inning after her fielding error, it was redemption time for Vallad with the season-ending home run to left.

Elder earned the win in the circle, going the distance with 10 hits and one walk allowed. Catcher Princess Arredondo went 2 for 3 for the Vikings.

The victory also brought championships for Northeast Florida's Vikings. In addition to sophomore shortstop Catherwood, the St. Johns roster also includes infielder Emily Griffin (Baker County), outfielder Jadyn Chesser (Fleming Island) and pitcher Carolyn Lasater (Trinity Christian).