Vikes beat So Cal's #5 Team

-Barstow, Ca

The Vikings baseball team earned an impressive win Saturday as they defeeated one of Southern California's premier programs in Glendale College.  Glendale came into the game with a 21-9 overall record and an unblemished 10-0 record in Western States-East Conference play.  Glendale is also ranked as the #5 team in Southern California's Coaches Poll.  

Glendale was held scorelss in the top of the first inning despite two hits as Sophomore RHP Chase Ottofy struck out the side.  

The Vikings wasted no time in their half of the inning.  Antonio Gaxiola hit a 3-run home run and Tanner Wickham and Luis Ruiz each collected RBI singles.  The Vikings 5-run first would prove to be all the run support they'd need on the day.  

Sophomore Mith Hulse would hit a solo home run in the 3rd to stretch the lead to 6-0.  Glendale scored a single run in the 4th, 2 in the 5th and one more run on a solo home run in the 7th.  

Chase Ottofy threw 4.2 innings allowing just 3 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 7.  Freshman Dayj Piersall earned the win with 4.1 innings of relief allowing just the solo HR in the 7th. 

Antonio Gaxiola finished the game with 3 hits and 4 RBI while Freshman Judah Wilbur and Luis Ruiz each collected 3 hits on the day.

The win marked the Vikings second victory over a ranked opponent this season (6-5 win over #11 Citrus on March 15th).  It was also the Vikings 14th win of the campaign.

Vikings Head Coach Bryan King said, "We get a little better every year, that's all you can ask when you're building a program.  Get a little better every year and try to build one day at a time.  Today was a big win for us, a big win for our guys.  Glendale is about as good of a program as you can find in California, being able to compete with them and beat them is valadation that we're moving in the right direction."  

http://www.cccbca.com/sports/bsb/2017-18/boxscores/20180407_8tuc.xml