ROME, Ga. - TJ Page scattered seven hits in a complete-game effort and Berry's offense erupted for 18 hits in a 15-2 victory over Bates in the second game of a doubleheader at William R. Bowdoin Field Saturday.  Bates won the first game 3-1.

In the finale of the four-game series between the teams, Berry scored seven runs in the second inning to blow the game wide open after trailing 1-0.  The Vikings sent 13 men to plate in the inning and took advantage of seven hits, two walks and an error that led to five unearned runs.

Berry would add another run in the third on Cory Pitts' RBI single, then score three more in the fourth on RBI singles by Brandyn Jackson, Drew McDuffie and Pitts.

After the Bobcats scored in the fifth, the Vikings would put four more runs on the board in the sixth when Dylan Hanks drew a bases-loaded walk and later scored on an error, and Preston Neely delivered a two-run double.

With more than enough offensive support, Page (1-1) was cruising.  He allowed one earned run in seven innings, while striking out four batters and walking none.

Pitts drove in three runs for the Vikings, while  going 3-for-3 at the plate and scoring a run.  Neely and McDuffie collected three hits, two RBIs and scored once each, and Jackson and Thomas Johnson also picked up a pair of hits and two runs apiece.

The 18 hits and 15 runs were the most by the Vikings in a game this season.

Bates starter Michael Spinosa (0-1) took the loss after allowing seven runs, just two of which were earned, in two innings of work.

The victory came off a game in which Berry mustered just five hits against three Bates pitchers in the day's opener.

Two of those hits came from Austin Neely, while Pitts, Madison Moss and Isaac Hardee also picked up one hit each.

Berry's run came in the fifth inning, when Pitts led off the frame with a double and latered scored on an error.

Mike Antonellis (1-1) earned the victory for the Bobcats after allowing just one unearned run in five innings of work.

Berry starter Josh Dilbeck (2-3) took the loss.  Dilbeck allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings.  He fanned three batters.

Jonathan Stump came on in relief of Dilbeck in the sixth inning and gave up an unearned run on two hits while striking out a pair of batters in 1/23 innings.

Berry gets some time to rest before its next scheduled game, a home contest against Covenant on March 22.

- BerryVikings.com -