Graves Leads Offensive Explosion In Sweep Versus Yakima

After four straight game day splits, the Vikes hoped to collect a sweep at home as they hosted the Yakima Valley Yaks on Wednesday April 24th at Viking Field for the first two games of the four game set.

Hayden Schooler was handed the ball in game one and fell victim to weak contact as the Yaks managed to collect 11 hits, 9 of which were singles and plated 4 runs off the big right hander over his 7 innings of work. Schooler threw well striking out 9 and giving his team a chance to win. Fortunately, although BBCC pitching was not as sharp as it has been in the past, the Viking offense erupted. Big Bend exploded for 15 runs, and 18 hits over 7 innings and were able to mercy rule the Yaks with a 15-4 victory. Gunnar Graves led the way collecting 3 hits and driving in 5, while JT Penrod and Tyson Laugen added three hits and two RBI's a piece. With three Vikings collecting three hits, Rory Swanson, Oak Held, Ryley Doig and Roman Basurto also chipped in with two hits a piece with all collecting at least one extra base hit including a long ball from Oak Held. 

After a blow out in game one, BBCC needed to bare down and finish the day. Garin Gurtler took the mound and fell victim to his own defense yet again. After a clean defensive game one, BBCC committed 6 errors in game two. Gurtler managed to throw 6 innings of 4 run ball allowing just one earned run. After a rough 3rd inning where the Yaks managed to score three, Ryley Doig erased the three run deficit with a grand slam giving the Vikes a 4-3 lead. With 4 innings in the books the game was all knotted up at 4 until Gunnar Graves blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the 5th to give Big Bend a 5-4 lead. Going into the final three innings, BBCC handed the ball to none other than James Macrae who did his thing tossing 3 scoreless innings to complete the sweep with a final score in game two of 5-4. Head Coach Chase Tunstall had this to say regarding the two wins.

"It's nice to see what we have been working on in practice translate to a game. We have been focusing on doing damage to the big part of the field and our guys did just that. Obviously we would have liked to play clean defense for the full day but getting two wins allows us to build some momentum as we enter the final stretch of the regular season. Schooler, Gurtler and Macrae did what we needed them to do while finally getting some offensive backing. We have two more big games this weekend that we need to go get on the road."

BBCC prepares to travel to Yakima Valley CC to finish off the four game set on Saturday April 27th.

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