Vikings split 4-game series with Western
The Carl Albert State College Vikings baseball team split its home four-game, two-day series with the visiting Western Oklahoma State College Pioneers at Mark Pollard Park at Ival Goodman Field in Poteau.
The Carl Albert State College Vikings baseball team split its home four-game, two-day series with the visiting Western Oklahoma State College Pioneers at Mark Pollard Park at Ival Goodman Field in Poteau.
On Friday, the two teams split their games, with the Vikings taking the opener 11-8 but losing the nightcap 17-2 in eight innings.
The same thing happened on Saturday as each team won a game in the doubleheader. The Vikings took the nightcap 15-3 in seven innings after the Pioneers won the opener 12-11.
In Friday’s opener, the Vikings (21-7) rallied from a 5-2 deficit as a nine-run fifth inning put them ahead for good at 11-5 after five innings.
For the game, Keypher DeLeon went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored, while Rayian Torres was 2-for-3 with a double, with two RBIs and two runs scored for the Vikings.
Gage Elliott (6-0) remained perfect on the hill as he pitched a complete seven-inning game.
In Friday’s nightcap, after the Vikings scored once in the opening inning, the Pioneers tied the game at 1-all in the second inning, then took the lead for good with a single run in the third inning and a five-run fourth inning for a 7-1 lead. A six-run eighth inning for Western put the game into run-rule status.
In defeat, Royce Florenzano was 2-for-2 with a run scored, Dominic Ornelas was 2-for-4 with an RBI, A.J. Streater doubled and Tucker Wooten doubled and scored once for CASC.
Blake Lindsey (1-2) suffered the loss, going the first 2.1 innings with a strikeout. After Madden Dillard got the next three outs, Landon Donaho went the next 1.2 innings with a strikeout. T.J. King went the next 2.1 innings with a strikeout. Luke Crichton got the final two outs of the game.
In Saturday’s opener, the Pioneers broke an 11-all tie with a run in the seventh inning.
In defeat, Florenzano was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, Kip Christian was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored, DeLeon was 2-for 4 with his fourth home run of the season, four RBIs and two runs scored, Connor Cox was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and Brooks Herrera was 2-for-4 with a double and two run scored for the Vikings.
Jaxon Spangler (1-1) took the loss in relief, allowing the game-winning run to score in the seventh inning but did record a strikeout. Duke Walker got the start for the Vikings and went the first three innings with a strikeout. Tanner Mullins went the next 2.1 innings with three Ks, then Wyatt Sammons went the following two-thirds of an inning.
In Saturday’s nightcap, the Vikings never trailed, leading 4-0 after two innings, 5-0 after three innings and 11-0 after four innings. A four-run sixth inning put the game into run-rule status.
For the contest, DeLeon was 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, four RBIs and two runs scored, Ornelas was 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored, Cox was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, Torres was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Jett Frazier was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and an RBI and Christian doubled with two RBIs and two runs scored for CASC.
Chase Stevens (3-0) got the win as he went the first 4.2 innings with a strikeout. Sammons went the next 1.1 innings with a strikeout, and Spangler pitched the final inning with a strikeout.
The Vikings will return to action with a home doubleheader at 1 p.m. this Friday against TCS Post Grad Academy, followed by a single home nine-inning game against archrival Eastern Oklahoma State College at 2 p.m. next Tuesday at Mark Pollard Park at Ival Goodman Field.
