MEMPHIS, TN – The Vikings headed to Memphis for some Friday afternoon and evening doubleheader action against Rhodes, where they outlasted the Lynx in both contests.
Jacob Bridges was nearly automatic at the plate for the Vikings, going 6-of-7 and bringing home 3 RBI on the day. Riley Uhls was also outstanding, as he knocked through five hits on the day. Cam Welsh stole the show in game one, pitching 6 innings and allowing just one hit to guide the Vikings to victory.
Game One (Berry 5 – Rhodes 3)
The top of the first bred production for the Vikings, as an Austin Jetmore walk saved the inning as the Vikings had two outs before his plate appearance. Charles Pulaski, or "Big Play Pulaski" did his work early, as he thanked Jetmore for keeping the line moving and scored Chase Edmonds, who reached on an error in the leadoff spot.
Starting off game one on the bump was the Vikings' intro man, Cam Welsh, who delivered a quick 4-batter inning as the Vikings walked away unscathed off a strikeout from Welsh.
The Vikings received some more support from the offense in the second inning, as a leadoff single from Jacob Bridges got the Vikings going again. A few at-bats later, the reliable Riley Uhls stepped up and delivered a double that would score Chance Edmonds and Garrett Lang and gift the Vikings a 3-0 lead. With the lead, Welsh kept up his big-time day with a 1-2-3 affair in the top of the second.
The top of the third continued a stellar start for the Vikings, as Jacob Bridges continued his big day to score Pulaski with a single to left field to make it a 4-0 ballgame. Deja Vu was the case in the third inning, as Welsh sent the Lynx away with zero production once again at the bottom of the third.
The Vikings offense finally quieted down in the top of the fourth and Rhodes was able to make up some ground at the bototm, as two runs came across for them to cut the deficit in half.
Bridges seized the moment yet again in the fifth, as a Jetmore leadoff single sparked the Viking bats. With two outs, Bridges nailed another single through to center to score Chaz Moore and make it a 5-2 lead.
Things would quiet down until the bottom of the seventh, when the Lynx would strike again to make the score 5-3. Now with Eric Fountain on the mound, the young freshman cleared his mechanism and was able to manage a ground ball that Riley Uhls handled seamlessly and to put the runner out at third and sling the ball across to first for an inning-ending double play.
A red-hot Jacob Bridges led off the 8th with a double. The Vikings nearly added insurance, but the policy was voided by a nice play from the Lynx as they tagged him out at home, keeping it a 5-3 game.
The score would hold and set up a getaway bottom of the ninth for Eric Fountain. He would not look back as he led the Vikings to a 5-3 win in game one.
Game 2 (Berry 3 – Rhodes 2)
With JohnMark Christopher on the mound, the Vikings engaged in a defensive duel until the top of the third, when Riley Uhls did what he does and delivered an RBI to break the tie and make it 1-0.
Chance Edmonds picked things up after another scoreless inning from Christopher at the top of the fourth. Edmonds laced a double that scored Jacob Bridges to make it a 2-0 lead, as the Vikings continued to dominate the day.
A home run in the bottom of the fifth finally turned things around for the Lynx though, as they tied the game heading into the sixth.
The Vikings continued to produce in RBI spots, though, as two got aboard to begin the top of the sixth. Chance Edmonds was able to get all of a pitch and sacrifice himself to bring home Pulaski to give the Vikings back a 3-2 advantage.
With a series of empty frames following the sixth, Jon Strydom would enter to preserve the win after Brady Greene held strong for two innings. Strydom came in with six outs remaining and retired six consecutive Rhodes batters to take the Vikings to paydirt and a 3-2 victory.
The Vikings close out the series tomorrow against the Lynx at 12 PM CT / 1 PM ET.
