MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - Vikings baseball took the field in a doubleheader against Hendrix College on Senior Day, where they took care of business in game one by a final score of 7-6 in game one and 8-1 in game two.
The team honored graduating seniors Joey Garcia, Caleb Spikes, Cinch Smith, Tyler Cassidy, Andrew Pendleton, Alex Knapp, CJ Whaley, Jackson Halla, and Nick Brunswick for their contributions to Berry College as ambassadors both on and off the field.
Game One (Berry 7 – Hendrix 6)
Brunswick's Late Game Heroics Lifts Vikings Past Hendrix in Extra Innings
After allowing a single early on in the first inning, starting pitcher Mason Snyder found his rhythm on the mound. Snyder then administered two strikeouts to put the Warriors in a bind offensively, ending with Pendleton making a terrific throw from his catcher position to third base to catch a Hendrix runner stealing third base and end the inning.
Despite a Joey Garcia second base appearance after a base hit and a steal, the Vikings were unable to generate offense in the early goings, leaving the scoreboard empty heading into the top of the second.
The first of a handful of double plays from the Viking defense spelled the end of the top half of the second for Hendrix.
Thriving off of the stellar defense, the Viking offense followed suit, as a Spikes RBI scored Pendleton who had initially reached on a walk. On the very next at-bat, a huge Garrett Lang double ignited the crowd and pushed Charles Pulaski through to give Berry a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the third.
The Hendrix offense responded accordingly with a run of their own off of an RBI double to cut the Viking lead to just one run. The Vikings were unable to respond with any offense at the bottom of the third inning, leaving the score at 2-1.
The top of the fourth reared its ugly head to the Vikings, as the Warriors racked up two runs to take a 3-2 lead.
Going a bit cold, the Vikings offense halted in the bottom of the fourth, leaving the one run deficit. The bleeding continued for Berry in the top of the fifth, as the Warriors added another run to make their lead 4-2.
After Nicholas Angelakos replaced Snyder on the mound in the top of the sixth and sent the Warriors packing in just three at-bats, the Viking bats became revitalized with a Riley Uhls triple that opened the floodgates. Pendleton would sacrifice to score Uhls on the very next at-bat. A Pulaski double and Aiden Cloud single set the table for Berry, as they drove in Pulaski just before the end of the inning, leaving the score tied at 4 runs apiece.
Each team then scored two runs to even the score at 6 in the seventh inning, making for a classic finish.
The defenses shined for each team in the ensuing four innings, until the Vikings made up their minds that it was their game. An Alex Knapp single to center field set the stage for him as the game-winning run. Knapp then stole second base with impeccable timing. A Garcia sacrifice placed Knapp at third base with all of the marbles on the line and Nick Brunswick stepping into the batter's box. He singled to the shortstop, forcing a near impossible throw, as Knapp slid into home plate to give the Vikings an unthinkable 7-6 comeback victory in game one.
Game Two (Berry 8 – Hendrix 1)
Vikings Cruise Past Warriors in Game Two
With Jackson Halla on the mound, Berry rolled into game two with a vengeance. The senior pitcher sent the Warriors away in the top of the first in just four at-bats to get things started defensively. The Vikings were not able to take advantage on the scoreboard offensively though in the bottom of the first.
The top of the second led to the Warriors striking first off of an RBI single. On the next play, Pendleton hit his second baseman with a bullseye to catch a Hendrix runner stealing second base to end the inning.
The Vikings quickly responded as Pendleton led off the top of the second with a base hit. A defensive error led to Pendleton cruising all the way to third base. In his first at-bat of the day, Hayden Gilbert sacrificed himself to score Pendleton and even the game at one apiece just before the end of the second inning.
Two straight flyouts produced by the pitching of Halla stranded two Hendrix base runners to send the game into the bottom of the third inning.
The Viking bats then caught fire, as with two outs, Uhls crushed a double into right field that scored Garcia to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead. On the very next at-bat, Pendleton returned the favor to Uhls, as he drilled a double into left center, scoring Uhls to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
The fourth inning was quiet for both teams, as the Vikings maintained their two-run lead heading into the fifth inning.
Halla then saw just four batters before sending Hendrix back to play defense in the bottom of the fifth. A Pulaski single then scored Uhls, who reached on a single, to extend the Berry lead to 4-1.
After another terrific defensive showing in the top of the sixth inning, the Vikings slammed the door on the Warriors in the bottom. It all got started with a single and stolen base from Knapp that put him in scoring position with Garcia in the batter's box. A beautifully placed Garcia single along the right-field line advanced Knapp to third base. The revolving door of Vikings on base continued, as Brunswick delivered a textbook hit to left field that scored Knapp.
Berry was not finished there, though as a resounding double from Uhls scored Brunswick and Garcia and took the wind out of the Warriors' sails. A Pulaski RBI single that scored Uhls proved to be too much for the Warriors to overcome, as Berry pummeled Hendrix pitches into an 8-1 victory.
The Vikings are in action again tomorrow to close out the three-game series against Hendrix at William R. Bowdoin Field at 12 PM ET.
