Big Bend grabs 3 of 4 against Olympic College

MOSES LAKE - Big Bend (9-2) concluded its non league schedule taking three out of four games against Olympic College.

After struggling to manufacture runs last season, the Viking offense has been humming with six games of 10 runs or more.

However, in game one the Viking bats were quieted to the tune of a only two runs on eight hits.

"Their pitcher, to his credit, kept us off balance quite a bit," head coach Pete Doumit said. "We made a couple of mistakes that really, really cost us. But hey, you know, that's all part of the learning process. I was very happy with they way they finished the last three games."

Big Bend was unable to string a rally together and fell to the Rangers, 6-2, while leaving six runners on base.

Yamane and Mitchell Darlington each drove in a run.

Leading 3-1 in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader, Doumit urged his players to challenge Olympic College before the team came up to bat in the sixth inning. Although it took an inning longer than expected - Big Bend responded.

Sparked by Kyle Kilian's seventh inning home run, the Vikings scored 12 innings in the frame and routed the Rangers, 15-1.

"Baseball's a funny game because it can become a very contagious thing," Doumit said. "We had a number of ebbs and flows throughout and one of the things that we're trying to get these guys to do is have a good approach every single time and to not sit and wait."

Jacob Yamane led the team with four RBIs and two doubles.

Jordan Higley was a stonewall pitching seven innings, striking out seven batters and only allowing one run.

Big Bend continued its momentum into Sunday and took both sides of the twin bill from the Rangers.

Adam Munoz paced the Viking attack with three RBIs and one walk.

Yamane, Dylan Signorelli, Jon Dailey and Ryan Wade each drove in a run as well.

The Vikings capped the four-game set against Olympic College with an 8-5 win in the series finale.

Munoz continued his big Sunday with three more RBIs and a double. Signorelli finished 3-4 on the day and is now batting .667 with 16 RBIs and three home runs on the season.

Signorelli has been the face of a resurgent Big Bend offense that has four players with 10 or more RBIs this season.

"That has been a real pleasant surprise," Doumit said. "I knew that offensively we had players that were very capable of hitting and I felt that just all the way down the lineup we were going to be a much better offensive team."

Big Bend begins Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) play against Yakima Valley Wednesday at home. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Yakima Valley will be the first team with a winning record Big Bend has faced this season and will kick off a stretch of six straight games against playoff teams from a year ago.

"We're going to be tested real fast and real early and we're going to see just how well we will stack up," Doumit said. "But again, I'm pretty confident that our guys should perhaps surprise some people in our league this year."