BBCC baseball splits with Blue Mountain

MOSES LAKE - Inconsistent is how coach Pete Doumit describes they way the Vikings are playing at the mid-way point of the season after pulling out a split in doubleheader action at home against Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) yesterday.

Big Bend Community College (BBCC) took a 3-0 lead into the eight inning only to see it evaporate as the team lost the opener 6-4, then came from behind in the night cap to win game two, 7-4.

The split puts the Vikings at 3-12 in conference play and 8-19 overall.

"At this point in the season, you'd think we would have worked out most of the kinks, but we just aren't playing very consistent," Doumit said. "Cody Johns pitched a great first game, but our defense imploded ... let him down as we committed four errors in the eighth and beat ourselves."

Game two of the twin bill was a see-saw battle between the Vikings and Timberwolves. BBCC put two runs on the board in the bottom of the first and one in the second to go up 3-0.

Blue Mountain responded with three in the top of the third to even things up 3-3. The score held up until BBCC brought a run across the plate in the top of the sixth to take its first lead of the game, 4-3. The Vikings answered back with three runs in the bottom of the frame and added an insurance run in the seventh to complete the comeback, 7-4.

John Higley was the winning pitcher of record for BBCC. Johns pitched two solid inning of relief and Chris Walker came on to close it out for the Vikings.

"John has pitched well, so it was nice to see him finally pick up a win," Doumit said. "We are doing some good things individually ... Chris Lacelle is having a lot of quality at bats and Chris Walker is one of the better hitters in the NWACC ... but we need to stop beating ourselves if we expect to turn things around in the second half of the season."

The first test comes on the road at Treasure Valley Community College Saturday.