2010 Varsity Game Summaries
SPC Tournament
GAME 24: NW Cabarrus 16, CENTRAL 8
Central traveled to SPC co-champion Northwest Cabarrus on Tuesday to face the Trojans in the 1st round of the SPC Tournament. Unfortunately, the hosts lived up to their billing and won by the score of 16-8.
The game started ok for Central as the visitors scored in the top fo the 1st. LF Michael Hartsell (So.) slapped a one-out single into left, then scampered home as C Ryan Yoder (Jr.) drove an 0-2 pitch off the fence in right-center for a double to make it 1-0 Vikings.
Unforunately, the hot-hitting Trojans ripped 4 hits in their half of the 1st inning and scored 4 runs off Vikings starter Jamey Lee (Sr.) to make it 4-1.
Central's bats went quiet for the next few innings, but the same could not be said for Northwest. They scored 6 in the 3rd on 4 hits, 2 walks and 2 costly Vikings errors and led 10-1 after 3. They added two more in the 4th to lead 12-1 and looked to put Central away in five....but the Vikings mustered up the strength for a monster 5th inning rally.
3B Jordan Pridgen (Jr.) led off the inning with a single to left and moved to 2nd on a walk to SS Brandon Porter (Jr.). RF Garrett Freeze (Fr.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs and set the stage for the rally. CF Justin Spinks (Sr.) singled to right to score Pridgen, then Hartsell picked up his 2nd hit of the night with a liner to left that plated Porter to make it 12-3. With the bases still loaded, 2B Ryan Watlington (Sr.) walked in a run to make it 12-4. The next batter was Yoder, who delivered again with a 2-run single to left that made it 12-6. After a strikeout, 1B Jimmy Tuz (Jr.) walked to reload the bases, then Pridgen walked in yet another run to push the score to 12-7. A groundout ended the threat...but Central was back in it.
Northwest scored 1 in the bottom of the 5th to make the scoreboard read 13-7 in their favor, but Central got another run in the 6th.
In the 6th, Freeze led off the inning with a walk and moved to 2nd on a passed ball. 2 outs later, Watlington hit a smash that the first baseman couldn't handle, allowing him to reach 1st and Freeze to score.
It was 13-8 heading to the bottom of the 6th...but 2 walks, 2 hits and 2 more Vikings miscues helped Northwest get 3 more runs and the Vikings couldn't answer in the top of the 7th.
Jamey Lee took the loss on the mound, but was hurt by poor defense. He gave up 4 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of work. Michael Hartsell gave up 3 earned runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief, while Garrett Freeze allowed 1 run against the 5 hitters he faced on the night.
At the plate, Ryan Yoder had a big night, going 3-4 with 3 RBI's. Others that made major contributions offensively included Michael Hartsell (2-3, 2 runs), Ryan Watlington (2 RBI's) and Garrett Freeze (2 runs).
The Vikings end their season at 8-16 overall and 4-10 in the SPC. Thanks to seniors Justin Spinks, Nick Nakhle, Ryan Watlington and Jamey Lee for their contributions to the Vikings Baseball program over the last 4 years....you will be missed.
To the returners: Have a great summer of baseball and be ready for the fall workouts....a new attitude and era is about to begin!
GAME 23: Mount Pleasant 6, CENTRAL 1
Central traveled to Mount Pleasant for the final game of the regular season and took the eventual conference champs to the brink before falling 6-1.
Jamey Lee (Sr.) took the hill for Central and kept the Tigers hitters at bay, allowing only 3 hits prior to the 6th inning.
Central got on the board 1st with a run in the 3rd. Cody Gann (Jr.) led off with a walk and moved to 2nd on a SAC bunt by Justin Spinks (Sr.). Michael Hartsell (So.) walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd, but a Ryan Watlington (Sr.) fielder's choice replaced the runners with 2 outs. Cleanup hitter Brandon Porter (Jr.) delivered the big blow, punching a 2-1 pitch into left to make it 1-0 Central.
Mount tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a HR by 2B Brandon Burris and the game stayed tied until the bottom of the 6th.
With 1 out, a controversial call at 1st robbed the Vikings of out #2 and set the stage for a Mount rally. When it was over, the Tigers scored 5 in the inning (0 earned) and took a 6-1 lead into the 7th. This time, the Vikings had no response and fell by that same score.
Jamey Lee was masterful in his final outing of the regular season. He pitched a complete game, allowing only 1 earned run and 6 hits in a complete game outing.
Offensively, the Vikings had only 4 hits (Spinks, Hartsell, Porter and Tuz).
Central finishes the regular season 8-15 overall and 4-10 (7th place) in the SPC. The Vikings will face conference co-champ Northwest Cabarrus at Northwest on Tuesday, May 4th @ 6:30 pm in the conference tournament.
GAME 22: Parkwood 16, CENTRAL 9
Parkwood came to town on Senior Night on Thursday and kept hot, beating the hosts in a slugfest by the score of 16-9.
Both teams erupted in the 1st inning, with Parkwood scoring 5 in their half on 4 hits off Central starter and senior Justin Spinks.
Central responded with their own big inning, answering with 4 in the bottom of the 1st. Spinks led off with a walk and moved to 2nd on a fielder's choice by Michael Hartsell. Brandon Porter walked with 2 outs, then Ryan Yoder singled to center to score Spinks and put the home team on the board. One pitch later, Central senior Jamey Lee rippeed a pitch to center that scored Porter and Yoder and made it 5-3. Senior Nick Nakhle came up next, batting for the 1st time in 2 months due to a broken hand. He delivered in his final home game, slapping a 1st-pitch fastball into center. Jordan Pridgen followed with a single of his own to score Lee and make it 5-4 after an eventful 1st inning.
Parkwood scored 3 in the 2nd and 3 more in the 3rd on 4 hits, 3 walks and 3 hit batters to extend their lead to 11-4...but Central came back.
After a Parkwood run in the top of the 4th made it 12-4 and threatened to end the game early, the Vikings responded with 2 in the 4th. Yoder doubled into the right-center gap, then scored after a great AB by Lee resulted in a full-count, 2 out HR over the wall in right to make the score 12-6.
Parkwood scored 3 in the 5th and 1 in the 7th, but could never totally put the Vikings away.
Central scored run #7 in the 6th. Hartsell led off the inning by reaching on an error by the rightfielder and was followed on base by senior Ryan Watlington and Porter, who also reached on defensive miscues. A fielder's choice groundout by sub Robert Thornton scored the run...but Central had two weak popouts to end the threat.
In the 7th, the Vikings struck again. New leftfielder Nick Estevez drove a sharp single to left and moved to 2nd when new centerfielder Garrett Freeze singled to right. Sub Colby Yandle reached on an error, but Estevez was forced at 3rd. After another forceout, a fielder's choice and a walk to Quinton Covington, Thornton singled to right to score 2 and keep the Vikings alive. Unfortunately, 1 out later, the game ended with Central on the wrong end of a 16-9 night.
Justin Spinks took the loss on the hill. Quinton Covington pitched 1 inning and allowed no earned runs, while Cody Gann (pitching for the 1st time in his high school career) allowed only 1 run in 2 1/3 innings of work.
Offensively, Jamey Lee stepped up in his final home game as a senior, going 2-4 with 2 runs scored and 4 RBI's to go with his HR. Ryan Yoder (2-2, 2 runs, RBI) and senior Nick Nakhle (2-4) also had multiple hit games. Robert Thornton added 3 RBI's for Central.
The Vikings are now 8-14 overall, 4-9 in the SPC and travel to Mount Pleasant for the regular season finale on Friday.
GAME 21: Mount Pleasant 16, CENTRAL 2
The Vikings hosted the 1st place Tigers at Central in a game moved back a day due to the rain and lost 16-2.
The Tigers scored 6 times in the 1st, highlighted by a 2-run HR (the 1st of 4 on the day) and never looked back.
Central got on the board in the 3rd when leadoff hitter Justin Spinks drove a pitch over the centerfield wall for a solo HR, his 3rd of the season.
The Vikings got their other run in the 6th. Michael Hartsell led off with a walk and moved to 2nd on a single by Ryan Watlington. After a long fly moved Hartsell to 3rd, he scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Ryan Yoder.
Hartsell got the loss on the hill. Freshman Garett Freeze pitched 5 1/3 innings of relief and gave up 3 earned runs (all HR's) and struck out 6 in a solid effort. Jacob Snyder pitched the final inning.
Spinks went 2-3 to lead the Vikings offensively. Central (8-13, 4-9 in the SPC) hosts Parkwood in the Senior Night game tomorrow.
GAME 20: CENTRAL 10, Cox Mill 5
Central hosted the Chargers of Cox Mill in a grudge match game, looking to rebound from Tuesday's horrible loss. The boys from CC got that win, pounding the ball against Cox Mill in a 10-5 win.
The visitors scored in the top of the 1st....but this time the Vikings answered the call and left little doubt, scoring 5 in the bottom of the opening inning.
Starting pitcher Jamey Lee (Sr.) opened the game with a single to center and moved to 3rd on a double into the leftfield corner by rightfielder Michael Hartsell (So.). 2B Ryan Watlington (Sr.) singled to right to score Lee and tie the game. SS Brandon Porter (Jr.) reached on error, then catcher Ryan Yoder (Jr.) reached on a fielder's choice that forced in a run and made it 2-1. Next batter 1B Jimmy Tuz (Jr.) singled to center, scoring Watlington, then moved up himself when 3B Jordan Pridgen (Jr.) singled to left and made it 4-1. Tuz capped the inning when he took home on a bad return throw back to the pitcher, using great instincts and hustle to make it 5-1 Central.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the Vikings offense struck again. Porter led off the inning with a double off the wall in left-center. He scored 1 out later due to a Tuz single. Pridgen reached on a fielder's choice, then moved up on a single by LF Quinton Covington (Fr.). CF Garrett Freeze (Fr.) beat out an infield single up the middle to load the bases with 2 outs, setting the stage for the knockout punch by Lee. Jamey stepped up big, ripping a bases loaded, 2 out, full count pitch into the gap in right-center, scoring all 3 runners and making the score 9-1 Central and putting the home team in full control of this league contest.
Cox Mill scored a couple runs on 2 hits in the 4th to make the score 9-3, but Central upped their run total to 10 in the 5th. Covington singled to left-center, moved to 2nd on a passed ball, then to 3rd on a single by Jr. Jacob Snyder (the new pitcher in relief of Lee), and scored on a fielder's choice to the right side by new CF Justin Spinks (Sr.) to make it 10-3 Central.
The Chargers tacked on a couple unearned runs in the 6th and 7th innings, but the damage was done.
Lee got the win on the hill, pitching 4 innings and allowing 3 earned runs while striking out 4. Snyder got the 3-inning save, giving up no earned runs while striking out two.
Offensively, the Vikings pounded out 14 hits. Players with multiple hit games included Jamey Lee (2-3, 3B, 3 RBI's), Ryan Watlington (2-4, 2B), Brandon Porter (2-3, 2 2B), Jimmy Tuz (2-4, 2 RBI's) and Quinton Covington (2-4, 2 runs).
Central (8-12, 4-8 in the SPC) will host the league-leading Tigers of Mt. Pleasant at The Cove on Tuesday at 6:30 pm.
GAME 19: CENTRAL 8, Albemarle 5
The Vikings traveled to Albemarle on Wednesday, intent on recapturing their season. They responded, beating a strong Bulldog squad by the score of 8-5.
Central struck 1st, scoring in the opening inning. Justin Spinks led off the game with a walk and promptly stole 2nd. 1 out later, Ryan Watlington continued his hot hitting of late by driving a ball into the right-center gap for a triple that plated Spinks and gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead.
Albemarle tied the game in the bottom of th 1st by manufacturing a run (without the benefit of a hit or an error), but Central answered with 3 runs of their own in the 2nd.
In inning #2, Jamey Lee led off with a single to center. An errant throw allowed Lee to scamper to 2nd. With 1 out, Cody Gann singled to center as well, but Lee remained at 2nd due to a good read on the short fly ball. With runners on 1st & 2nd and now 2 outs, Spinks again walked to load the bases. Michael Hartsell followed with an excellent AB, working the count and eventually drawing his own walk to force in a run and make it 2-1 Central. Next up was Watlington, who drilled the 1st pitch he saw into left to score Lee & Gann to make the score 4-1.
The score stayed that way until Albemarle scored in the 5th to make it 4-2. In the 6th, back-to-back walks and an increasing pitch count forced Coach Knight to go the bullpen in relief of starter Garrett Freeze, who pitching brilliantly in his 1st varsity start. Senior Justin Spinks answered the call, entering the game with runners at 1st & 2nd with no outs. Spinks walked the 1st batter he faced to load them up and Albemarle scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3...but Spinks settled down and squashed the Bulldog threat with an infield popup, strikeout and a great play by Vikings 3B Jordan Pridgen that ended the inning and preserved the lead.
This tight game broke open in the top of the 7th, when the Vikings showed their toughness and put 4 runs on the board. Watlington was again the catalyst, leading off with a walk. Next up was Brandon Porter, who battled to a full count before launching a mammoth blast over the leftfield fence to give the Vikings some breathing room at 6-2. They weren't done. Next batter Ryan Yoder crushed a 3-1 pitch that got to the fence in right-center and saw the Vikings catcher reach 3rd on the triple. Yoder scored soon after when Lee singled up the box to make the score 7-2. Wtih 1 out, Pridgen was hit by a pitch and moved to 2nd when the bases were soon loaded. Jacob Snyder then draw a walk that scored the Vikings final run of the night.
In the 7th inning for Albemarle, consecutive walks forced Coach Knight to the bullpen and he motioned Snyder to the hill. He gave up a leadoff single to load the bases and watched a wild throw plate two, but Snyder struck out the last 2 batters he faced (the final out looking) to seal the win.
Defensively, Garrett Freeze was the story. The diminuitive lefty was a force, striking out 6 and allowing only 1 hit in his 5 innings of work to get his 1st varsity win. Spinks & Snyder combined for no earned runs in their 2 innings of relief.
At the plate, many Vikings contributed. Ryan Watlington (2-3, run, 3 RBI's) and Jamey Lee (2-3, 2 runs) were the guys with multiple hit nights, while Brandon Porter (1-3, HR, 2 RBI's) and Justin Spinks (1-3, 2 runs) added to the big win.
Central (7-12, 3-9 in the SPC) hosts Cox Mill on Friday night at The Cove. Game time is 6:30 pm.
GAME 18: Cox Mill 9, CENTRAL 7
Central traveled to Cox Mill to play the Chargers on Tuesday night, but found themselves on the losing end of a 9-7 score.
Central took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st when Ryan Watlington (Sr.) hit his 1st career varsity HR over the fence in left. Cox Mill responded with 1 of their own in the bottom to tie it at 1 apiece.
In the 3rd, it was deja vu all over again when Watlington again smacked a ball over the fence, his 2nd HR of the night giving the Vikings a 2-1 lead.
In the 4th, Central scored 2 more runs to take a 4-1 advantage. With 1 out, Jamey Lee (Sr.) walked and moved to 2nd on a groundout. Jimmy Tuz (Jr.) singled over the outstretched arms of the SS to score Lee, then eventually scored himself when Nick Estevez (So.) singled to left.
Cox Mill tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on 2 hits, a walk and 2 Vikings errors.
Central scored again in the 5th. Starting pitcher Michael Hartsell (So.) singled, but the courtesy runner was picked off at 1B. With 2 outs, the rally began, ignited by back-to-back walks to Brandon Porter (Jr.) and Ryan Yoder (Jr.). Lee stepped up big, driving a 1-2 pitch into right to score both runners (they had moved up on a wild pitch) and making the score 7-3 Central.
In the bottom of the 5th, another costly Vikings error and 2 hits narrowed the lead to 7-5. Central's offense stalled from that point on....but Cox Mill took advantage of the Vikings' poor defense and got some timely hitting to rally and score 4 in the bottom of the 6th to get what would eventually be the winning runs off Watlington, who relieved Hartsell with no outs in the 6th.
Michael Hartsell pitched 5 strong innings for Central, allowing no earned runs and 6 hits while striking out 3.
Offensively, Ryan Watlington went 2-4 with 2 HR's and 2 RBI's. Jordan Pridgen (Jr.) and Hartsell each added 2 hits, while Jamey Lee scored twice and had 2 RBI's.
Central (6-12, 3-9 in the SPC) travels to Albemarle to face the Bulldogs tomorrow.
GAME 17: NW Cabarrus 12, CENTRAL 2
The Vikings returned home to play the Trojans of Northwest Cabarrus but struggled again in a 12-2 loss.
Once again, the 1st inning proved tragic for the Vikings. Northwest scored 5 in the opening frame on 4 hits and 2 Vikings errors against starting pitcher Jamey Lee. The Trojans kept hitting in the 2nd, pounding out 3 more hits and 2 runs to take a 7-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Central got on the board. Ryan Yoder led off the inning with a bullet to center, then moved to 2nd when Lee reached on an error by the shortstop. After a strikeout, Jordan Pridgen singled to left to load the bases with 1 out. 9 hole hitter Jacob Snyder then brought home the 1st run by drawing a walk to make it 7-1. The Vikings threat was halted, however, with back-to-back infield groundouts.
Five more Trojan hits in the 3rd led to 4 more runs. Central did get one back in the bottom of the frame. With 2 outs, Yoder singled to left center and stole 2nd when a pitched ball hit the dirt. He scored when Lee doubled into the right-center gap to make it 12-2.
Justin Spinks entered to pitch in the 4th and performed admirably, allowing only 1 run in his 2 innings of work while striking out 4. Lee took the loss.
Offensively, Central had 7 hits on the night, led by a 3-3 night from Ryan Yoder (who also scored both Central runs). The other 4 hits came off the bats of Michael Hartsell (1-2), Jamey Lee (1-3, double, RBI), Jordan Pridgen (1-2) and Cody Gann (1-1, triple).
The Vikings (6-11 overall, 3-7 in the SPC) travel to Cox Mill on Tuesday for their next contest.
GAME 16: South Rowan 10, CENTRAL 0
The Vikings traveled to China Grove to face the Raiders in a non-conference matchup but left South Rowan on the wrong side of a 10-0 score.
Things started off rocky for the Vikings from the very 1st pitch when Raiders all-state SS Maverick Miles blasted a pitch over the CF fence to make it 1-0 South. The Raiders went on to get 2 more over the next 2 innings against starter Jordon Bruce, who was making his 1st varsity start.
Jacob Snyder came on in relief of Bruce in the 2nd and kept the Vikings in the game with 2 straight innings of shutout ball. Unfortunately, despite hitting a number of balls hard, the Vikings simply could not generate the key hit. They left 6 runners on base in the 1st 3 innings and never recovered.
South scored 3 in the 4th (only 1 earned) and 4 more in the 5th before the game was called due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Offensively, the Vikings had 5 hits. The team was led by Sophomore Michael Hartsell (2-2, double), Sophomore Nick Estevez (1-2, double), Senior Jamey Lee (1-2) and Senior Justin Spinks (1-2).
Central (6-10 overall, 3-6 in the SPC) returns to action on Friday at home against Northwest Cabarrus at 6:30 pm at The Cove.
GAME 15: NW Cabarrus 7, CENTRAL 6
(8 innings)
Central traveled to Northwest on Tuesday to face the 2nd place Trojans and answered the challenge....but fell short in extra innings by the score of 7-6.
The game started off poorly and looked to be a Trojan rout, with the home team scoring 3 in the 1st on 4 hits against Vikings starter Michael Hartsell (So.). In the 3rd, Northwest scored 2 more on 3 hits and a pair of walks to take a 5-0 lead.
Central finally got on the board in the top of the 4th. Brandon Porter (Jr.) drove a double over the centerfielder's head to lead off the inning. Porter scored 1 pitch later when Ryan Yoder (Jr.) ripped a single up the middle and brought Porter home to make it 5-1.
The Vikings turned up the heat on the hosts in the top of the 5th with a furious 2- out rally. Ryan Watlington (Sr.) singled to left to get the offense started, then moved to 2nd when Porter's 2nd hit of the night hugged the 1B line to put runners on 1st & 2nd. Yoder then delivered again, lacing a double into right that scored Watlington and moved runners to 2nd & 3rd with the score at 5-2. With Hartsell at bat, a ball in the dirt allowed an aggressive Porter to slide home with run #3. A few pitches later, Yoder copied Porter's hustle, scampering home himself on a wild pitch to close the gap to 5-4.
The inspired hustle plays of Porter and Yoder put a charge into the Vikings and their faithful fans that turned the momentum in the Vikings favor.
In the 6th, Central tied the game at 5. Jordan Pridgen (Jr.) led off by reaching on an error by the 3B. Jacob Snyder (Jr.) laid down a SAC bunt, but reached base to put runners on 1st & 2nd. Justin Spinks (Sr.) following with a single to left, scoring courtesy runner Colby Yandle (Jr.) to tie the score. Jimmy Tuz (Jr.) put down a SAC bunt to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and Watlington was hit by a pitch to load the bases.....but the next 2 Vikings hitters struck out to end the threat and a golden opportunity for Central to break the game wide open.
Both teams held serve in the 7th so the game went into extra innings. In the top of the 8th, Central scored to take the lead. Spinks drove a 1-out double into left-center to start the frame. With 2 outs, Watlington singled to center to put runners on the corners, setting the stage for Porter. The junior shortstop responded, driving a ball into left that went to the wall, scoring Spinks. Watlington was waved home as well...but a perfect throw from UNC-Charlotte bound Trojan SS Justin Seager nailed Wat at the plate and sent the game to the bottom 1/2 of the 8th with the score 6-5 Central.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Trojans got their leadoff man aboard after a Central error and the runner moved to 2nd on a wild pitch with no outs. The next hitter went to a 3-1 count before an intentional walk put the Vikings in a force out situation. SS Seager then hit a ball off the leg of relief pitcher Jamey Lee (Sr.) that bounced into leftfield, allowing the tying run to score and putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. The cleanup hitter was walked intentionally to set up the force....and then the controversial ending took place.
The Northwest catcher hit a line drive to rightfield....but Central outfielder Nick Estevez (So.) made a Sportscenter-esque catch to get the 1st out. With the Trojan runner tagging from 3rd, Estevez threw the ball in to Watlington, who made a perfect throw to the plate in which the ball beat the runner and settled in the hands of catcher Jordan Pridgen. Pridgen applied what appeared to be an obvious tag on the runner....but that wasn't the call. The call was "SAFE!".....leading Vikings players and fans alike upset and bewildered by a poor call that ended such a great contest.
On the mound, Michael Hartsell started and went 5 1/3 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 9 hits while striking out 4. He settled down after a rocky 1st inning and allowed 5 hits and only 2 runs the rest of the way. Jamey Lee entered in relief and took the loss despite slamming the door on the Trojans until an earned run in the 8th that ended the game.
Offensively, the Vikings pounded out a season-high tying 12 hits. The 3-4-5 hitters in the middle of the Vikings lineup lived up to their billing, combining for 8 of the hits. Ryan Watlington (3rd hitter) went 3-4 on the night and scored a run. Cleanup hitter Brandon Porter had 3 hits in 5 AB's (including 2 doubles) and scored twice. 5 hitter Ryan Yoder was 2-4 with 2 RBI's. Also contributing to the Vikings hit parade in a major way was leadoff hitter Justin Spinks (3-5, run, 2B, RBI).
Central (6-9 overall, 3-6 in the SPC) returns to action on Thursday when they travel to South Rowan.
GAME 14: CENTRAL 10, Bay Village 4
The Vikings entered the 3rd game of the East Rutherford Tournament desperately needing a win and a kick-start to their offense. They got both on Thursday afternoon, beating the team from Bay Village H.S. near Cleveland, Ohio by the score of 10-4.
Despite gathering only 5 hits in the previous 2 games, Central came out firing in this one, scoring 4 in the bottom of the 1st. With 2 outs, 2B Ryan Watlington singled to center and then promptly stole 2nd. SS Brandon Porter then hit a smash to third that the 3B threw past 1st, allowing Watlington to race home with the game's 1st run. With Porter now on 2nd, DH Ryan Yoder singled to left to score Porter and make it 2-0 Vikings. Yoder moved to 2nd two pitches later and then to 3rd on a passed ball. He raced home when a smash to short by starting pitcher Michael Hartsell was booted by a Bay fielder to make it 3-0 Central. After courtesy runner Colby Yandle stole 2nd, rightfielder Jamey Lee singled to center to push Yandle across the plate and give the boys from Central a commanding 4-0 lead.
Neither team scored in the 2nd, but Bay pushed a couple across in the 3rd on a pair of errors to make it 4-2. Fortunately for the home team from Concord, the Vikings answered those unearned runs with 3 of their own in the bottom half of the 3rd. Porter led off the inning by reaching on error, then stole 2nd. After a walk to Yoder, Hartsell laid down a perfect SAC bunt to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. Lee took advantage one pitch later, lacing a single to center that scored Porter to make it 5-2 Vikings. The next batter was C Jordan Pridgen, who put his stamp on the inning with a laser to right-center that scored two and left the Vikings catcher at 2nd with a double and his team with a 7-2 cushion.
Hartsell was keeping the visitors at bay (if you'll pardon the pun), but his offense was far from finished. Central scored 3 more in the 4th. 1B Jimmy Tuz walked and stole 2nd, then moved to 3rd on a passed ball. Watlington walked as well, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Porter took care of business in his AB, driving a ball to center that allowed Tuz to score easily from 3rd on the SAC fly that made it 8-2 Vikings. Yoder came up next and scored Watlington when he hit a missile into the gap in left-center to push the score to 9-2. After a ball in the dirt allowed Yoder to move up to 3rd and Hartsell drew a walk, Yoder scored on a ball to the backstop that made it 10-2 Central.
Bay scored on back-to-back hits in the 5th against Hartsell to make it 10-3...but the damage was already done and both teams emptied their benches.
Freshman Garrett Freeze got his 1st varsity action on the hill in the 6th, retiring 3 of the 4 batters he faced without allowing a ball to leave the infield. Sophomore Jackson Pridgen saw his 1st varsity pitching action as well in the 7th, surrendering 1 run but finishing the night with a strikeout.
Michael Hartsell got the win for Central with his 2nd straight quality start. He pitched 5 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 5 hits while striking out 5 to move his record to 2-1 on the season.
Offensively, the Vikings were led by Ryan Yoder (2-2, 3 runs, 2 RBI's), Jamey Lee (2-3, 2 RBI's), Brandon Porter (1-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI's), Ryan Watlington (1-3, 2 runs) and Jordan Pridgen (1-2, 2 RBI's).
Central (6-8, 3-5 in the SPC) takes a few well-earned days off before returning to practice on Monday and to league action against Northwest Cabarrus on Tuesday.
GAME 13: Chase 7, CENTRAL 1
Central headed into game 2 of the East Rutherford Tournament looking to rebound from a tough opening-round game, but they ran into a tough Chase squad and lost 7-1.
Chase scored 1 in the 1st and 2 in the 2nd and never looked back. Meanwhile, the Vikings offense continued its recent struggles, mustering only 4 hits against 2 Chase pitchers.
Central finally scored in the top of the 7th. Nick Estevez doubled into the leftfield corner with 1 out. 1 out later, Jackson Pridgen was hit by a pitch to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Leadoff man Justin Spinks responded when he hit a 2-0 pitch into left to score Estevez and erase the zero from the Vikings side of the scoreboard....but that was it for Central on this night.
Starter Ryan Watlington took the loss on the hill. He pitched 3 innings and allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits while striking out 2. Reliever Justin Spinks pitched admirably in his 3 innings on the bump, surrendering no earned runs on 5 hits.
Offensively, Spinks led the team with a 2-3 day. Estevez and Brandon Porter collected the other hits for Central.
Central (5-8, 3-5 in the SPC) now faces the loser of the McDowell / Bay Village game at noon on Thursday.
GAME 12: R-S Central 7, CENTRAL 0
The Vikings opened the East Rutherford Tournament against a powerful R-S Central team and came out on the losing end, falling to the Hilltoppers by the score of 7-0.
R-S Central, the preseason #8 team in 2A in the state according to maxpreps.com, scored 3 in the 1st on a homerun by all-stater Christian Pfaff after a pickoff attempt that should have ended the inning was dropped.
Central's offense, meanwhile, was stymied all night. The Vikings collected only 1 hit on a single up the middle by 2B Ryan Watlington. The team hit many balls hard but stellar defense by the Hilltoppers turned back any potential Vikings runs.
Defensively, the Vikings made many crowd-pleasing plays, highlighted by some great work by Watlington, Michael Hartsell and two thrown out runners at 2nd by C Ryan Yoder.
Jamey Lee pitched the 1st 4 innings and allowed 4 earned runs and 5 hits to go with 4 strikeouts. Jacob Snyder followed Lee on the hill and gave up 1 earned run in 2 innings of work while striking out 2.
The Vikings (5-7, 3-5 in the SPC) return to action at noon on Wednesday at picturesque McNair Stadium against Chase H.S., who lost their 1st round game against T.C. Roberson 12-1.
GAME 11: CENTRAL 2, Keystone Oaks (PA) 1
Central returned home for a big game under the lights at The Cove against the visitors from Pennsylvania and did so in impressive fashion, winning 2-1.
The Vikings got all their runs in the 1st inning. Jimmy Tuz was hit by a pitch and moved to 3rd after a two-out double off the bat of Brandon Porter. Four pitches later, catcher Ryan Yoder came through with what would eventually be the game winning hit, driving a 1-2 pitch into right-center to score Tuz & Porter and make it 2-0 Central.
The game stayed 2-0 until the 5th. Keystone Oaks finally scored in the 5th when John Conway singled to right, stole 2nd and eventually scored on a single to right by Golden Eagles captain Ryan Badzgon.
The contest stayed close for the remainder of the night, as both teams threatened but could not push runs across. Two Vikings pitchers controlled the contest and the Central defense was stellar to lead the boys from NC to a big win.
The Vikings managed only 4 hits against impressive KO freshman Jared Skolnicki. Ryan Yoder (1-3, 2 RBI's), Ryan Watlington (1-3), Brandon Porter (1-3, run, 2B) and Jordan Pridgen (1-2) led the offense.
On the mound, sophomore Michael Hartsell allowed 5 hits and only 1 earned run in 6 innings of work to get his 1st varsity win. He struck out 5 and walked 3. Jamey Lee pitched the 7th got his 1st save of the season.
The Vikings (5-6, 3-5 in the SPC) head to Forest City, NC to participate in the East Rutherford Tournament this week during spring break. Updates will be available as soon as possible.
GAME 10: Robinson 17, CENTRAL 4
The Vikings traveled to Robinson on Thursday, hoping a difficult week on & off the field would get better. Unfortunately, the team played their worst game of the season and were battered by the Bulldogs by the score of 17-4.
The day started off great, with Central scoring 3 in the top of the 1st. Jamey Lee was hit by a pitch leading off the inning and moved to 3rd eventually when Jimmy Tuz walked and Ryan Walington singled to left to load the bases. Cleanup hitter Brandon Porter knocked in the 1st run with a SAC fly to center, and the next run scored when Ryan Yoder grounded out to 2nd. Run number 3 scored when Michael Hartsell hit a hot shot down the line in left, scoring Watlington to make it 3-0.
Robinson scored 2 in the 2nd on 2 hits and a costly error, but Central responded with a run of their own in the top of the 3rd. Porter led off the inning with a double into the gap in left-center and score on an RBI single by Yoder to make it 4-2.
In the home half of the 3rd, the Vikings faced a nightmare inning. An unbelieveable 17 straight Bulldogs reached base, collecting 9 hits, 6 walks and 1 error against 3 Vikings pitchers. When it was all over, Central had surrendered 14 runs....and the game had turned into a rout.
Ryan Watlington took the loss on the hill, giving up 4 hits and walking 2 while surrendering 5 earned runs in his 2 innings of work. Justin Spinks, the 4th Vikings pitcher of the night, settled down after a rough start and finally stopped the bleeding by retiring 4 of the last 5 batters he faced, 3 by strikeout.
Offensively, the boys from Central pounded out 9 hits, led by Jamey Lee (2-2, run, 2B) and Michael Hartsell (3-2, RBI, 2B). Ryan Yoder had 2 RBI's to add to the offensive effort.
Central (4-6, 3-5 in the SPC) hosts Keystone Oaks H.S. of Pittsburgh, PA today at 7 pm at The Cove.
GAME 9: Robinson 12, CENTRAL 8
The Vikings came out hitting against the Bulldogs on Tuesday night, but the defense again let them down as they fell to the visitors from Robinson by the score of 12-8.
Robinson scored in the 1st on a pair of errors, but Central answered to tied it at 1. With 2 outs, Ryan Watlington was hit by a pitch and moved to 2nd when Brandon Porter was hit 3 pitches later. Catcher Ryan Yoder made it hurt, blooping a 2-1 pitch over the shortstop's head to score Watlington and tie the score.
In the 2nd, both teams got on the board, with the Bulldogs scoring on a HR by Ashburn. Central responded with 2 in the 2nd to take the lead. Jordan Pridgen led off the inning with a walk and moved to 2nd on a great SAC bunt by Jamey Lee. 9th batter Jacob Snyder started what would prove to be a great day for him in style, driving a 1-2 pitch into left to put runners on the corners with 1 out. The next batter was Justin Spinks, who proceeded to drive a single into left and score Pridgen while moving Snyder to 2nd. After a groundout moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd, Watlington singled to center to make it 3-2 Central.
In the 4th, the Vikings offense extended the lead to 6-2. Lee led off with a single and moved to 2nd on a single off the bat of Snyder. With no outs and a full count, Spinks delivered....sending his 2nd HR of the season over the fence in center to give the Vikings a big lead.
Unfortunately, poor defense continued to be an Achilles heel for Central and it reared its ugly head in the 5th. Three Central errors in the inning led to 6 unearned runs, capped by a 3-run shot by Ashburn for his 2nd HR of the night.
Now down 8-6, the Vikings had their backs against the wall...but they fought back. Central scored in the 5th when Michael Hartsell ripped a 1-out double and scored on a Pridgen singled to cut the lead to 8-7.
Robinson scored again in the 6th to lead 9-7, but Central rallied again to answer in the bottom half of the inning. Jimmy Tuz walked, Watlington singled and Yoder knocked in Tuz with a SAC fly to make it 9-8 going into the final frame.
In the 7th, Robinson scored 3 runs on 3 hits and another Viking error and this time the Viking offense simply didn't have an answer, making the final score 12-8 Robinson.
Starting pitcher Jamey Lee battled throughout, but was the victim of poor defense. He allowed only 3 earned runs in his 6 1/3 innings of work, scattering 9 hits and walking 4. Relief pitcher Jacob Snyder finished the game, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1.
Offensively, Central continued its hot hitting of late, pounding out 11 hits. The team was led on offense by Justin Spinks, who had 2 hits including the HR and a team-high 4 RBI's. Jacob Snyder had his best game on varsity with a 3-4 night, while Ryan Watlington (2-3) and Ryan Yoder (2 RBI's) contributed heavily to the cause.
The Vikings (4-5, 3-4 in the SPC) travel to face these same Bulldogs on Thursday night before hosting Keystone Oaks H.S. of Pennsylvania on Friday night at 7 pm under the lights at The Cove.
GAME 8: Sun Valley 12, CENTRAL 11
Central traveled to Sun Valley on Saturday to face the Spartans in a makeup game scheduled for earlier in the season. Unfortunately for the visitors, they blew a big lead and fell by the score of 12-11.
The game started in excellent fashion for Central, as they pounded out 3 hits and scored 4 times in the 1st. Justin Spinks led off the game with a walk and moved to 2nd on a single to left by Jimmy Tuz. Captain Ryan Watlington ripped a single of his own to left to load the bases with no one out, then Brandon Porter was hit by a pitch to force in the 1st run. Next up was 5th hitter Ryan Yoder, who hit a shot to the 3rd baseman that he mishandled, allowing run #2 to trot home. Michael Hartsell kept the scoring going (still with no outs) when he singled to center and scored Watlington with the 3rd run of the inning. The final run scored when Porter came home on a wild pitch and made the score 4-0 after 1 inning.
In the 2nd, Central scored again. Tuz singled with 1 out and moved to 2nd when Watlington was hit by a pitch. Porter walked to load the bases before Yoder drove in his 2nd run of the night, this time with a single to right that scored Tuz to make it 5-0 Central.
Sun Valley scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 2nd, which was the last inning for starter Jamey Lee (who will start a big league game on Tuesday and was simply getting some work to stay sharp).
Central kept the pedal down in the 3rd, adding 5 more runs to take a commanding 10-1 lead. Lee reached on an error by the 3B and moved to 2nd on a great SAC bunt by Nick Estevez. With 2 outs, Tuz reached on another error, this time by the 2B and courtesy runner Colby Yandle scampered home to make it 6-1. Watlington was next up and delivered, singling to left to put runners at 1st & 2nd. Porter ripped a single down the line on a 1-2 count and scored Tuz to make the score 7-1 Central....but they still weren't done. The very next hitter (Yoder) picked up RBI's #3 and 4 on the night when he doubled over the centerfielder's head to plate Watlington & Porter. Hartsell copied the Viking catcher a few pitches later, doubling to right to score courtesy runner Cody Gann to push the lead to 10-1. The Vikings were in command....but on a night when everyone would play and pitchers would get opportunities on the bump, the wheels simply fell off the Viking train.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Sun Valley (winners of 5 straight games) finally got their offense going against Sophomore pitcher Michael Hartsell, who was seeing his 1st action of the spring. The Spartans put togther 4 straight, 1-out hits, capped by a 3-run HR by Hatchel. After that, the Central defense failed to support Hartsell, making 2 key errors in the inning that forced relief pitcher Jacob Snyder into action. By the time the inning had ended, Central's lead had dwindled to 10-8.
Central's bats suddenly went quiet...but Sun Valley kept scoring, in many cases courtesy of some horrific defensive lapses by Central. The Vikings made 3 errors in the 4th that allowed 3 unearned runs to score and saw the hosts take an 11-10 lead.
The Vikings tied the game at 11 in top of the 6th. With 1 out, Estevez reached on an error. Spinks singled to left, and Estevez scored when Tuz singled to the same spot in left and tied the score at 11.
In the bottom of the 7th, the poor defense of the Vikings struck again. Snyder, who had slowed down the Spartan attack, got all-conference SS Chris Timberlake to pop out to center for the 1st out. After a single and a stolen base, the 4th hitter hit a ball to right that was misjudged by the diving RF....and the winning run for the Spartans trotted home.
Jacob Snyder took the loss on the hill, but was the victim of little support. He pitched 3 2/3 innings and allowed no earned runs and only 3 hits.
Offensively, the Vikings continued their torrid hitting. Ryan Yoder led the charge, going 3-5 with 4 RBI's. Jimmy Tuz had 3 hits on the night and scored 3 times, while Brandon Porter (2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI's), Ryan Watlington (2-4, 2 runs), and Michael Hartsell (2-3, 2 RBI) added punch of their own to a Central offense that scored 32 runs in 3 games this week and pounded out 34 hits.
Central (4-4 overall, 3-3 in the SPC) will host Robinson in a huge league contest on Tuesday at The Cove.
GAME 7: CENTRAL 12, Concord 5
The Vikings hosted the Spiders in Game 2 of their league matchup on Friday and Central won big again, this time by the score of 12-5.
Concord scored in the 1st on a double by Ryan Smith, but the Vikings won the inning with 2 runs of their own. Justin Spinks hit the 1st pitch from Concord pitcher Ryan Goodman over the centerfield fence for his 1st career HR and a 1-1 tie. Two walks and an error loaded the bases with 1 out when Michael Hartsell was hit by a pitch to force in a run and make it 2-1 Central.
Concord took the lead with 3 in the 2nd and looked to take control....but Central again responded, this time with 5 runs in the bottom of the 2nd to lead the game by the score of 7-4. Spinks walked with 1 out and Jimmy Tuz was hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Ryan Watlington singled to left to cut the lead to 4-2. Two pitches later, Brandon Porter gave the Vikings the lead when he crushed a 3-run HR over the fence in left for a 5-4 score. Ryan Yoder followed Porter's heroics with a double, moved to 3rd on a ball in the dirt and scored on a SAC fly by Hartsell.
Concord got their last run of the night on a walk, 2 passed balls and a groundout to make the score 7-5....but Watlington (who relieved in the 2nd) and Jacob Snyder (who pitched a 1-2-3 7th inning) limited the Spiders to 5 hits and no runs after the 3rd inning to shut off the visitor's offense. Numerous defensive gems by Yoder and Lee helped to keep the visitors in check.
Central, however, was far from done. Porter struck again in the 4th, punishing a 1st pitch fastball into the batting cages in left for his 2nd HR of the night and an 8-5 Vikings lead.
In the 5th, Jamey Lee led off with a double and was joined on the basepaths when Spinks walked with 1 out. Tuz followed by slapping a single to left to score Lee and, after Watlington was hit by a pitch, both Spinks and Tuz scored when Porter drove a pitch past the third baseman.
The Vikings completed their scoring in the 6th. Lee singled and Robert Thornton walked to set the stage for Tuz, who got his 3rd hit of the night when he singled to right to score Lee with run #12.
Watlington got the win on the hill in relief, going 4 1/3 and giving up only 1 run while striking out 3. Offensively, Porter put on a show, going 3-4, scoring twice, hitting 2 HR's and driving in a career-high 6 RBI's. Jimmy Tuz added 3 hits and scored twice, while Jamey Lee (2-4, 2 runs, 2B) and Justin Spinks (2-3, 3 runs, HR) had big nights as well.
The Vikings (4-3 overall, 3-3 in the SPC) travel to Sun Valley for a makeup contest on Saturday at 1 pm before facing league rival Robinson next Tuesday.
GAME 6: CENTRAL 9, Concord 2
Central started the 3rd week of the league season with their best overall game of the year, crushing the Spiders at Concord by the score of 9-2.
The Vikings scored right off the bat, scoring 2 in the top of the 1st. Justin Spinks led off the game by getting hit by a pitch and then stole 2nd. With 2 outs, Brandon Porter drove a shot into right to plate Spinks with the 1st run. After Porter stole 2nd, Ryan Yoder walked. Mike Hartsell then ripped a shot into the leftfield corner, driving in Porter to make the score 2-0.
Central scored again in the 4th when starting pitcher Jamey Lee hit his 1st homerun of the season over the fence in right-center to help his own cause and make it 3-0. Unfortunately, the Concord CF got caught up in the fence on the play and broke his leg, causing a long delay and a sick feeling in the stomachs of everyone in attendance.
After play resumed, Central kept up the scoring pace by getting 2 more runs in the 5th. With 1 out, Jimmy Tuz walked and stole 2nd. 1 out later, Porter came through again, driving a single to left to score Tuz and run the score to 4-0. Yoder was the next hitter and delivered a double off the wall in center to score Porter and make it 5-0 Central going into the 6th.
Concord finally scored in the 6th on a 2-run HR....but the damage was done. Central responded a run in the 6th. Lee led off the inning with a double and moved to 2nd on a perfect SAC bunt by Nick Estevez. He scored 1 pitch later when Spinks drove a ball to center for a SAC fly and made the score 6-2.
Central closed the door on the Spiders with 3 runs in the visitor 1/2 of the 7th. Porter picked up his 3rd hit of the night with a single and moved to 2nd as Yoder singled behind him. Both runners moved up on a throwing error. A SAC fly by Hartsell scored Porter, and a laser over the centerfielder's head for a double by Jordan Pridgen drove in Cody Gann (the courtesy runner for Yoder) to make it 9-2 and complete a great night for the Vikings.
Jamey Lee was dominant on the hill, throwing a complete game 5-hitter. He walked 2 and struck out 2 and was totally in command throughout to pick up his 3rd win of the year.
Offensively, the Vikings were led by Brandon Porter (3-4, 3 runs scored, 2 RBI's), Ryan Yoder (2-3) and Jamey Lee (2-3, 2 runs, HR).
Central moves its overall record to 3-3 with the win and 2-3 in the SPC. The Vikings host the same Spiders on Friday night at 4:30 pm at the Cove.
GAME 5: A.L. Brown 7, CENTRAL 1
Central traveled to Kannapolis to face Brown in the 2nd game of the conference week, but came out on the wrong end of a 7-1 score. Brown scored in every inning, aided by 4 Vikings errors to go along with 9 hits and 5 walks.
Central scroed in the 4th inning when Ryan Watlington was hit by a pitch with 1 out. Brandon Porter then hit a grounder to SS that was mishandled and put runners on 1st & 2nd. Ryan Yoder singled to center to load the bases and Mike Hartsell drew a 2-out walk to force in a run. Central threatened again in the 6th and 7th, but poor baserunning and some ill-timed strikeouts ended the threats.
On the night, Jimmy Tuz continued his recent hot hitting by going 2-3 at the plate. Justin Spinks also contributed 2 hits.
Starter Ryan Yoder (0-2) took the loss in 2 innings of work, while Watlington pitched the final 4 innings and allowed only 2 earned runs.
Central (2-3, 1-3 in the SPC) travels to Concord to play the Spiders next Tuesday.
GAME 4: CENTRAL 5, A.L. Brown 4
Central returned to action on Tuesday after a horrible performance on Monday and did so in dramatic fashion, winning a come-from-behind game on a walkoff hit in the bottom of the 7th to win 5-4.
Brown scored 1st with 2 hits in the opening inning and scored again in the 2nd to take a 2-0 early lead. It stayed 2-0 until the bottom of the 4th when Brandon Porter hit his 1st career varsity HR over the fence in center to get the Vikings on the board.
In the top of the 5th, the Wonders looked like they might put the game away, scoring 2 more runs to take a commanding 4-1 lead.
The Vikings, however, weren't done. In the bottom of the 5th, Jamey Lee drew a 1-out walk and Jimmy Tuz blooped a single to left to put runners on 1st & 2nd. Great baserunning by courtesy runner Cody Gann moved the runners to 2nd & 3rd, and Gann scored one batter later when Nick Estevez drove a pitch to right to make it 4-2. Good baserunning by Tuz allowed him to score later in the inning, and the score stood at 4-3.
Vikings ace Lee slammed the door on the Wonders in the final 2 innings, allowing 1 lone hit to keep the Vikings in it and set the stage for the bottom of the 7th.
The Vikings trailed 4-3 entering the 7th against Wonders ace Dillon May, who had already struck out 9 Vikings in just 3 2/3 innings of work. Mike Hartsell led off with a walk and moved to 2nd on an excellent SAC bunt by Lee. Tuz followed with his 2nd hit of the night to left to put runners on the corners with 1 out.
Coach Knight called a special 1st & 3rd play and Tuz & Hartsell ran it to perfection, allowing a tying run to score. Tuz advanced to 2nd on the throw home....and then Justin Spinks delivered a laser to center that just avoiding the diving centerfielder and allowed Tuz to slide home with the winning run, triggering a boisterous celebration on the field and in the Vikings stands.
On the night, Lee held tough, limiting the Wonders to 8 hits and 3 earned runs for the complete game victory that upped his record to 2-1 on the season. He walked none and struck out 8.
At the plate, Tuz was 2-2 and scored twice. RBI's came off the bats of Spinks, Estevez & Porter, whose HR was the 1st of the season for Central.
Central (2-2, 1-2 in SPC) travels to Brown for the rematch on Friday night.
GAME 3: Hickory Ridge 10, CENTRAL 3
The Vikings hosted the Bulls at Central on Monday in a makeup league contest. Unfortunately for the hosts, the team played their worst game of the season and saw the visitors win by the score of 10-3.
The 1st inning started well, with starting pitcher (and Junior captain) Ryan Yoder (0-1) striking out 2 of the 1st 3 hitters in a 1-2-3 inning. Central threatened in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on 1st & 2nd with no outs, but a strikeout and 2 groundouts ended the threat and left 2 runners on (a reoccuring theme on the night).
Hickory Ridge scored in the top of the 2nd on a double, a walk and 2 hits, but Yoder struck out the 8 hitter and got a groundout to avoid further trouble.
Central tied the score in the bottom of the 2nd. Sophomore Mike Hartsell led off the inning with a clean single to left and moved to 3rd on consecutive walks to Jimmy Tuz (Jr.) and Nick Nakhle (Sr.). With the bases loaded and no outs, Jacob Snyder (Jr.) grounded a ball up the middle that got him out but scored Hartsell to tie the game. However, a strikeout and groundout ended another threat.
Hickory Ridge scored in the 3rd on a double and three straight walks, but Sr. captain Ryan Watlington came on in relief and got 2 quick outs to keep the Vikings close.
Central scored again in the 4th. Watlington was hit by a pitch & Brandon Porter (Jr.) singled. After a strikeout, Jordan Pridgen (Jr.) singled to left and scored Porter to make it 2-2. Unfortunately, once again the Vikings couldn't capitalize and left runners on base.
It stayed 2-2 until the 5th, when the traditionally-strong Central defense collapsed. Two errors in the inning and a 2-run Bulls HR pushed the score to 5-2. In the 6th, the defense got even worse, when 3 more Viking errors led to 4 unearned runs.
In the 7th, Hickory Ridge got their final run when the pitcher dropped an easy play and he scored 2 outs later. Central respnded with a run of their own in the 7th when Yoder reached on an error and scored 2 outs later on a single off the bat of Sr. captain Jamey Lee.
All in all, the Vikings simply had a bad night. 7 Viking errors led to 7 unearned runs and the team left a whopping 11 runners on base (included a staggering 10 in the 1st 4 innings).
Six different Vikings had hits, while Pridgen, Snyder & Lee had the RBI's. Watlington reached base 3 times to led the team.
Yoder took the loss on the hill, going 2 1/3 innings and giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks while striking out 3.
Central (1-2, 0-2 in the SPC) hosts A.L. Brown tonight at 4:30 pm.
GAME 2: Hickory Ridge 7, CENTRAL 5
The Vikings traveled to rival Hickory Ridge on Tuesday and fell short in the league opener by the score of 7-5. It was the 1st loss in the regular season to the Bulls in 3 years and evened the Vikings' record on the season at 1-1.
Cental started off strong against former Viking Colton Love by scoring 3 in the 1st inning. Justin Spinks led off with a walk and stole 2nd. After a strikeout and a wild pitch, Spinks scored when the second baseman booted a ball hit by Brandon Porter. After another wild pitch moved Porter to 2nd, Ryan Yoder drove a double into the rightfield corner to plate Porter and make the score 2-0. Cody Gann came on as a courtesy runner for Yoder (the catcher) and stole 3rd. After a strikeout left Central with 2 outs, Jordan Pridgen was hit by a pitch. Gann eventually scored on a ball in the dirt and Central led 3-0.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, the wheels came off in the bottom of the 2nd. A leadoff double that dropped between 2 outfielders started the trouble, but 2 Viking errors and 4 Bulls hits led to 6 runs and put the visitors in a big hole.
Central tightened the score with 2 in the top of the 4th. Jimmy Tuz reached 1st on an error and moved to 2nd when Jacob Snyder walked with 1 out. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Spinks doubled off the bottom of the fence in left-center, scoring Tuz and moving Snyder to 3rd. Ryan Watlington followed with a single to make it 6-5 and Porter followed with a single of his own....but the rally died 1 out later.
The Bulls completed their scoring in the bottom 1/2 of the 4th when Tyler Graham hit his 1st career HR on an 0-2 pitch to make it 7-5. In the final 2 offensive frames for Central, HR's starting pitcher (Love) settled in and closed the door, striking out 4 to seal the win.
Offensively, the Vikings were led by Ryan Yoder (2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI). Four other Vikings (Spinks, Watlington, Porter & Snyder) each had hits in the effort.
Jamey Lee (1-1) took the loss on the hill, surrendering 8 hits and 3 earned runs in 5 innings of work. He walked none and struck out 4. Yoder pitched the 6th and walked 1 while facing the minimum 3 hitters.
Central (1-1) travels to Sun Valley on Wednesday for a rematch of the season opener, which the Vikings won at home 3-0. Game time is 7 pm, with the JV game prior to the varsity contest.
GAME 1: CENTRAL 3, SUN VALLEY 0
The Vikings kicked off the 2010 season with a bang, pitching a shutout against a strong Sun Valley squad at home to win the opener by the score of 3-0. The shutout was the 1st on opening day in Coach Knight's 12-year coaching career.
Central (1-0) scored right off the bat with a run in the bottom of the 1st. Senior Justin Spinks led off the game with a double to the leftfield gap. Senior captain Ryan Watlington walked, but not before Spinks took 3rd on a pitch in the dirt. With runners at 1st & 3rd, Brandon Porter (Jr.) hit a ball to short and forced Watlington at 2nd...but Spinks scored to make it 1-0 Central.
The game stayed at 1-0 until the 6th. In that inning, Central scored the insurance runs that would prove to be the final runs of the contest. Watlington drove a double into left-center field. After a groundout, Ryan Yoder (Jr. captain) smacked a drive to center that scored Watlington. An error by the center fielder allowed Yoder to advance to 2nd. With 2 outs, Jordan Pridgen (Jr.) singled to right to score Yoder and make the score 3-0.
The shutout stood up due to phenomenal pitching of Lee & Yoder. Lee (1-0) threw 5 innings of 1-hit ball, striking out 5 and walking none. Yoder got the save, giving up only 1 hit in his 2 innings while striking out 2.
Offensively, Central had 5 hits with 1 each coming off the bats of Spinks (2B), Watlington (2B), Yoder, Harrison & Pridgen.
Congrats to the Vikings on a great opening performance. Central travels to Hickory Ridge to face the rival Bulls next Tuesday in the conference opener.
Vikings News
2010 Varsity Game Summaries
