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Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesVikings Conquer Hurricanes in AA Baseball

Vikings Conquer Hurricanes in AA Baseball

Vikings starter Mark Knight brings the heat.With the return of their college-based players, the Vikings knocked off league leading Hurricanes in Rafael Jackson AA Baseball League action Saturday at the D.C. Canegata Ball Park.

The 6-3 victory came in a time shortened, seven-inning contest.

The hard-throwing Mark Knight, home for the summer, started the game for the Vikings and pitched five strong innings, striking out six, and did not give up a hit until the bottom of the fifth.

He was not around, however, for the decision as the resilient old men of the league, the 40-plus Hurricanes, rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth.

Batting first, the Vikings took advantage of two Hurricanes miscues to plate two runs. Shawn Matos delivered an RBI single for the Vikings. The Hurricanes never really mounted a threat until the sixth.

The Vikings added another run in the top of the third when the Hurricanes made an error on what should have been the third out. Mark Franklin then made them pay by delivering an RBI single to give his team a 3-0 lead at the end of three.

The score would stay that way until the bottom of the sixth when the Hurricanes, which includes several 50-plus grandpas, rallied to knot the score at three apiece. They loaded the bases on an error by the Vikings and back-to-back singles by Tony Peguero and Antonio Cruz, Sr. against reliever Jahmoy Williams. They then scored on two passed balls and an intentionally generated run-down to knot the game at three.

The Vikings however retook the lead, at 6-3, in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs on a two-run single by Justino Navaro and an RBI single by Franklin. The Hurricanes failed to reply in the bottom of the inning and the game was called due to time constraints.

Williams picked up the win on the hill in relief of Knight, and Edwin Mercedes got the loss in relief of Newton. The Hurricanes starter, Geronimo Newton, also pitched a great game but was a victim of some untimely errors by his defense. He struck out seven in his four innings of work.

Top batters for the winners were Navarro, 2 for 3 with two RBIs, Franklin, 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Matos, 1 for 3 with one RBI. For the Hurricanes, Antonio Cruz Jr. was 1 for 2, Cruz Sr., 1 for 3, and Peguero was 1 for 4.

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