(Avoca) AHSTW outlasted Riverside in a tight baseball contest played at Avoca on Thursday.
The Vikings improve to 1-1 on the season. They never trailed, but saw the visitors put the pressure on them late in the game. Brayden Lund’s second inning double to straight away center provided an early lift for AHSTW. He came in to score on Jade Thornton’s RBI hit. The Vikings added three more in the 3rd to open up their largest lead of the game. The runs were a result of three hits, one walk, and a costly dropped third strike. Blake Holst and Jake Kelly had RBI’s in the inning to push the advantage to 4-0.
Riverside finally got on track in the 4th. AHSTW starter Nick Denning was perfect through three innings. The freshman struck out six of the first nine batters he faced before running into trouble. Leadoff batter Eddie Vlcek began the 4th inning with a triple and Grady Jeppesen followed with a hit by pitch. Ethan Reicks singled on a comebacker to the pitcher which plated Vlcek. Nate Messerschmidt would also drive in a run as the visitors snugged things up to 4-3.
AHSTW extended the lead to 5-3 when Jordan Ratzlaff doubled and scored in the 4th inning. Ratzlaff, out of the #8 spot in the order, tallied three runs on the night.
Two Riverside runs in the 5th tied the game at five. They chased starter Nick Denning from the game after Vlcek and Jeppesen were each hit by a pitch. Both scored thanks to RBI’s from Ethan Reicks and Wyatt Hough. AHSTW answered in the bottom of the frame as David Johnson led off the 5th inning with an infield single to set the table. Johnson went to 2nd on a balk, advanced to 3rd on a passed ball, and scored on Brayden Lund’s sac fly.
AHSTW got an insurance tally in the bottom of the 6th courtesy of some Riverside miscues. A dropped third strike, hit batter, and walk all with two outs loaded the bases. Nick Denning followed with an RBI single to make it a 7-5 game. Riverside managed just one run in the top of the 7th. Brayden Lund held things in check for AHSTW in relief. He allowed only one hit in 2 2/3 innings.
