Vikings split with Treasure Valley

Big Bend moves into fourth place ahead of Wenatchee Valley

Big Bend is back in the playoff hunt.

A split with Treasure Valley put the Vikings ahead of Wenatchee Valley in the Eastern Region standings by a half game with the season half over.

Big Bend (10-12, 6-8) got a little assistance from Treasure Valley (18-9, 9-5) pitcher J.D. Lott in game one with the Vikings tying the game on one of four balk calls. The Vikings had one hit in the last five innings of the game, but managed to score two runs to take game one 6-4. Scott Parrish maintained a no-hitter into the fifth inning against the Chukars, but gave up a game tying home run to Andy MacFarlane and eventually lost 5-2 for the series split.

"The first game was a good game for us and took a lot of pressure off us," Big Bend pitching coach Dave Heaverlo said. "The second game, I don't know if we were 100 percent focused and ready to go."

Big Bend's Daniel Valdez picked up the win in game one after pitching into the eighth inning, allowing four runs on 10 hits and two strike outs. Willie Ireton came in for relief in the eighth and gave up a walk and a single to load the bases with no outs, but got a force out at home, struck out the next batter and got a fly out to right field to maintain the lead.

Ireton started a jam in the top of the ninth after walking the first batter and hitting the second of the inning to put two runners on with no outs, but managed to field a bunt and flip the ball over to third base for the first out. Ireton then got the next two batters to fly out to preserve the save and win for Big Bend.

"Ireton came in and dug himself into a hole, but managed to get out of it and you don't very often get the opportunity to get a win when you have the struggles that you do," Heaverlo said.

Viking catcher Christian Romple went 1-for-4 in the first game with a two-run triple in the first inning to give Big Bend a 2-1 lead. Dale Hall scored for the Vikings in the third inning off a wild pitch and Kris McClaskey scored on a balk call to tie the game at 4-4.

Sam Hall picked up an RBI and go-ahead run in the fourth with a deep sacrifice fly ball to left field to score Matt Brown from third. Brown picked up the other insurance RBI with a sacrifice fly ball to center field to score Travis Didier, who was pinch running for Josh Walker, for the 6-4 win.

The Vikings sent sophomore Scott Parrish to the mound in game two and took a no hitter into the fifth inning, before giving up a two-out home run to MacFarlane to deep right field.

"Today, Scott Parrish came out and showed a lot of people," Heaverlo said. "There were some college scouts here and he was able to elevate his stock and Parrish will battle."

Parrish eventually picked up the loss, but pitched into the seventh inning before handing the ball to Pat Capone to close out the seventh inning with the bases loaded and two outs.

Schwartz hit a two-run single to center field to give the Chukars the final lead of the game. Treasure Valley added one more in the ninth inning for the 5-2 win.

"You have to give Treasure Valley a lot of credit because they came out swinging at anything around the plate and some of our guys didn't step up ready to go and that is why we got beat," Heaverlo added.

The season is officially half over and the Vikings start the second half on Saturday at home against Blue Mountain Community College (7-14, 4-8).