The baseball team defeated the Magruder Colonels, 11-10, in nine innings to improve their record to 2-0 on the season on Mar. 23.

Centerfielder James Dionne started the game off by bunting and using his speed to beat out the infield hit.  The Colonel shortstop committed an error on a ground ball hit by second baseman Sam Avayou, when he overthrew his first baseman. The error allowed Avayou to be safe at first and Dionne to advance to third.

Shortstop Michael Flack got a hold of a pitch and drove the ball into center field.  Avayou and Dionne scored on the play and gave the Vikings an early 2-0 lead.

When it was the Vikings turn to field, sophomore and starting pitcher Gabe Steinberg took the mound for his first game this year.  Steinberg induced a groundball to start the inning for the first out, but an error committed in the field during the second at bat put a runner on first.  Back to back singles by Colonels scored two base runners and knotted the game at two heading into the second inning.

The first batter for the Colonels singled in the hole between first and second base.  The Colonel base runner stole second and advanced to third on an error.  A groundout would plate the Colonel player and give Magruder their first lead of the game.

After Dionne walked to start the top of the third, Avayou beat out an infield single.  Balland also walked to load the bases.  Left fielder Drew Aherne flied out to right field.  Dionne was thrown out at home when trying to tag up from third to keep the score 3-2 in favor of the Colonels.

The Colonels added to their lead when they came to bat in the bottom of the third inning.  Back to back singles that just passed under Avayou’s glove scored the fourth Colonel run.

Infielder Andrew Castagnetti walked to begin the fourth inning and advanced to second when right fielder Henry Kuhn reached on an infield single.  When Kuhn broke to steal second base, the catcher overthrew his shortstop that allowed Castagnetti to score.

Catcher Nick Bode laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Kuhn to tie the game heading into the bottom portion of the fourth inning.

Pitcher Mike West relieved Steinberg, who earned a no decision, in the fourth inning.  West faced three batters and retired them all.

West continued to pitch well and did not allow a Colonel to get past first base in the next inning.

The Vikings reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Dionne singled and scored Duffy.  However, pinch runner Evan Reeves was caught trying to make it to third base and was tagged out to end the inning.

Flack replaced West in the bottom of the sixth, but a pass ball allowed the Colonels to tie the game once again at five.

Neither team scored in the seventh and final inning of regulation, so the game moved into extra frames.

The Vikings went three up and three down in the eighth inning and were unable to grab the lead.  However, Dionne made two stellar catches in the outfield that kept the teams tied and forced a ninth inning.

The Vikings exploded offensively, scoring six runs including a bases loaded single by Aherne that cleared the bags.  Duffy crushed a ball that hit the bottom of the fence that plated Kuhn and put the score at 11-5 going into the bottom of the ninth.

The Colonels scored five runs late in the game, three of which came with two outs.  However, Flack was able to get a called third strike that stranded the game-tying run at third base to seal the victory.

“The good teams always win close games,” Balland said.  “The mediocre teams can win the 22-0 routs, but the best teams always find a way to win close games.  We battled through a myriad of uncharacteristic mistakes, and pulled it out in the end.”

The boys hope to keep their undefeated season alive when they take on the Quince Orchard Cougars on the road on Mar. 26.