The baseball team (5–2) battled against a tough Churchill team (7–0) in their game on Monday night, but a late surge by Churchill led to a 5–4 Churchill win. 

Churchill, ranked the best public school team in the state, didn’t muster a lead until the final inning. Vikes starting pitcher, junior Liam Bowen, went six innings with eight strikeouts, giving up one run on five hits and three walks. Senior Grady Wiley came in relief to finish the game for the Vikes, pitching the final inning. 

The Vikes held onto an early lead almost the entire game after scoring their first run in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Niko Alexander had an RBI single that scored Bowen, made possible by bunts from freshman Sammy Berman and junior Mitchell Hwang and an initial walk from Bowen. 

Alexander also had an outstanding superman catch in left field to keep the Vikes in the lead heading into the back half of the game. 

The Vikes main run support came from senior Brennan Murley’s two RBI double in the bottom of the 4th which scored junior Massimo Liuzzo, pinch running for junior Gibson Hirt, and right fielder senior Zach Yaqub. Heading into the top of the 6th Whitman held onto a narrow 3–0 lead. 

Churchill gained their first run from two singles and an error. In the top of the 7th Churchill’s offense came alive with five straight hits and a wild pitch, taking a 5–3 lead heading into the bottom of the 7th.

Down two runs, the Vikes had the top of the lineup to try and walk it off. Liam Bowen bunted to get on base and junior Jun Komoto scored a final run for the Vikes after a monster RBI double from Mitchell Hwang, but it wasn’t enough. The Vikes took the 5–4 loss. 

The Vikes took their second straight loss against a strong opponent, but will look to turn things around at B-CC in an important game on Wednesday.