The baseball team defeated the Quince Orchard Cougars, 7-3, to improve its record to 3-0 on the season on March 26.

Center fielder James Dionne started the game off witha  single. Dionne stole second and third base and eventually scored off a past ball to give teh Vikes an early 1-0 lead. After second baseman Sam Avayou got on base, shortstop Michael Flack knocked a double to bring him in.

Flack would score off a groundout by left fielder Drew Aherne to take a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the first inning.

Starting pitcher Mike West took the mound for his first start of the season. The Cougars quickly loaded the bases off of West with no outs, but a 4-6-3 double play started by Avayou allowed only one run to score while recording two outs.

The next Cougar to bat lined a ball at West, who just caught a piece of the ball as it rolled past him. Flack was unable to make a play and a second Cougar run crossed the plate before the inning ended.

First baseman Dan Duffy walked to start the second inning, but three straight outs stranded Duffy at third base.

After Flack made a tough backhanded play on a ground ball deep at shortstop for the first out, the Cougars again loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning. However, third baseman Paul Balland fielded a ground ball on one knee and proceeded to tag third base and throw over to first for the double play to prevent the Cougars from scoring.

Flack singled to center field to begin the third inning and would score on three straight errors by Cougar fielders for the fourth run of the game.

The Vikings continued their stellar defense and turned their third double play of the game when Avayou made an unassisted play to end the bottom of the third inning.

With one out in the fourth inning, catcher Nick Bode doubled to left center. Dionne hit an infield grounder but was able to beat it out when a Cougar fielder overthrew his first baseman to allow Dionne to advance to second and pinch runner Ben Page to score.

Dionne came around to score on another overthrow at third base when he was attempting to steal third. Avayou got on base and stole second. Avayou was safe on a play at the plate when Flack singled to right field for the Vikings seventh run of the game.

The Vikings defense backed up West when Dionne made two back-to-back sliding catches in center field to end the bottom of the fourth inning.

After the Vikings went three up, three down in the top portion of the fifth inning, the Cougars scored when Daniel Fishback doubled and crossed home plate on an error in the field to put the score at 7-3 heading into the final two innings of play.

The Vikings went three up, three down again in the sixth inning, but only allowed one base runner for the Cougars, who was stranded to end the inning.

Flack walked in the top of the seventh inning and stole second but was unable to score and was stuck on second base to end the Viking portion of the inning.

West came out to pitch the seventh in hopes of earning a complete game win. He struck out the first batter he faced and induced two ground balls to seal the victory.

“West put the team on his back and led us seven innings,” Flack said. “He pitched an amazing game.”

The Vikings hope to remain undefeated when they take on the Paint Branch Panthers at home on March 29.

“It’s always good to beat a top program, but we are only 3-0,” Flack said. “We still have to work hard and knock off [teams such as] Sherwood.”