Big Bend splits with league-leading Columbia Basin
Rodney Harwood/Columbia Basin HeraldJosh Kallstrom from Ephrata gets contratulations after scoring in the first game of Wednesdya's NWAC East doubleheader with Columbia Basin.
Rodney Harwood/Columbia Basin HeraldBig Bend's Daulton Kvenvold (8) scores the winning run in the first game of Wednesday's NWAC East doubleheader with Columbia Basin as Hawks catcher Mark Jones waits for the throw.
MOSES LAKE — Anytime you can take one from the league leaders that's a reason to tip your cap and keep on slugging.
Cody Banks proved to be a Big Bend action hero. The freshman from Duvall provided the game-winning RBI with a single to left field and Daulton Kvenvold beat the throw to the plate to give the Vikings a 5-4 victory over Columbia Basin in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader. The Vikings showed a little spunk against a team that rolled into town with 30 wins under its belt.
“It's a great win for us. We've been scuffling a little bit, but we come back against the league-leader and show that we can play with anybody when we play like we did today,” said Big Bend manager Pete Doumit. “We have character and played with a little pride. We preach to play the game like you love it and that's what we did.”
The Hawks (31-10, 16-6 NWAC East) came back to win the late game 4-1, but the split gives the Vikings a little momentum going into a key road trip to Treasure Valley (Ontario, Ore) and Wenatchee.
“You take one game at a time and who knows?” Doumit said. “We swept Treasure Valley earlier. We have Wenatchee and Blue Mountain left, maybe we can climb back into the playoff picture.”
Big Bend 5, Columbia Basin 4
They had a chance to slam the door in the top of the ninth, but an error by Auggie Francis trying to make a running catch in center field allowed the tying run to score.
Big Bend went into the bottom half of the ninth. Doumit put the pressure on immediately, calling for bunt from lead-off hitter Kvenvold. The freshman utility fielder from Salt Lake City forced Austin Bergdahl to come off the mound and the left-hander from Spokane Valley threw it into right field to give the Vikings a lift.
Banks, who hit a home run in the second, stood at the plate with a chance to provide the game-winner. He took an inside pitch on the fists, but had enough muscle to lift a flare over the shortstop's head and give Kvenvold a running start at the plate.
“I got two strikes and just knew I had to put the ball in play,” said Banks, who finished 3-for-4 on the game. “I just had to muscle it out there. I'm running down to first saying, go, go, go. They I see it land and Pete's got the windmill going waving in the runner.
“We've been kind of down all year, so to get this one against the league leaders was pretty cool.”
Kallstrom is currently hitting .368. He didn't have a hit in the opener, but he did score a run.
“Being a local guy, it's pretty cool to be able to play so close to home,” Kallstrom said. “Today was a great team win. We never gave up. We just kept grinding away. Banks' home run in the middle of the game was a big turnaround for us.”
Columbia Basin 4, Big Bend 1
The Hawks scored two runs in the seventh inning and coasted to the split, scoring four runs on six hits.
The Vikings had just the one run, but did have five hits. Daniel Fornito (.390) went 2-for-3 to lead the Vikings. Kallstrom had a hit and Banks drove in a run in the loss.
Big Bend has a twin bill at Treasure Valley on Saturday and another in Wenatchee on Wednesday. They are back home again on May 13 against Blue Mountain.