East Hardy rallied to tie the game in the sixth inning, but the Vikings exploded for eight runs in the same inning on costly mistakes to raise the flag for a 12-4 victory in Petersburg.
“We had some hits when we needed them and that was a close ballgame, until the sixth inning,” Petersburg skipper Mike Landis remarked.
“They tied it up. A couple of mistakes here and there and we ran the bases pretty well and we got a couple of hits which was the difference in the ballgame. They are a good club.”
Petersburg pitcher Tanner Champ allowed a double by Cougars leadoff batter Logan Whetzel into left center field to commence the contest.
Champ countered with a strikeout to East Hardy’s Alex Miller and induced a groundout for Clay Skovron which advanced Whetzel to third base.
East Hardy’s Brett Tharp smacked an RBI single into center field for an initial 1-nil lead before the side was ended on a line drive hit by Adam Baker.
Tharp took the mound and Petersburg’s Cameron Masih flew out to Skovron, then Tyce Wisnewski swung on a dropped third strike with the throw to first base from catcher Alex Miller making the out.
Baker caught a line drive from Trad Harman at first base to end the inning.
The Cougars went down in order in the top of the second inning as Christian Dove grounded out to Masih at shortstop, then Andrew Tharp and Seth Smith struck out.
Petersburg’s Hunter Pool struck out, then Chase Ault singled into left field and Dawson Tingler reached base on an error as the fly ball deflected off the glove of Skovron in center field for runners on the corners.
Petersburg’s Lucas Berg was issued a walk to load the bases, then Jacob Hartman ripped a two-run producing single into center field and advanced on the throw home and Tharp’s throw to third base wasn’t in time.
Brett Tharp pitched strikeouts to Vikings batters Jakob Mauzy and Masih to get out of the inning with East Hardy trailing 2-1.
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East Hardy’s Austin Alt struck out looking on a pitch from Champ, then Whetzel grounded out to Ault.
Alex Miller singled into center field and stole second base before Skovron was given a walk, but both were stranded on a flyout by Brett Tharp to left fielder Tyce Wisnewski.
Wisnewski and Harman grounded out to Tharp on the mound, then Pool hit a blooper just over Smith in shallow center field for a single.
Ault singled into the left field and Tingler took a free pass loading the bases for the Vikings, but Berg grounded out to Tharp negating a scoring opportunity, 2-1.
Champ pitched a strikeout to Baker to begin the fourth inning, then issued a full-count walk to Dove.
Andrew Tharp launched a fly ball into left field and it eluded Wisnewski on a wicked hop for a double, but the Cougars couldn’t score as Smith and Alt struck out.
Hartman went down swinging in the bottom of the fourth inning before Mauzy connected for a single to Smith at shortstop and beat the throw to first base.
Masih launched the ball into center field and it was dropped on the run by Skovron, who picked it up and fired for the out at second base and Wisnewski flew out to right fielder Andrew Tharp to end the inning.
In the fifth inning, Whetzel flew out to left field and Alex Miller was hit by a pitch and stole second base as the ball deflected off the glove of Petersburg catcher Lucas Berg.
Miller was left on base as Skovron and Brett Tharp grounded out for the Cougars.
Harman singled to East Hardy third baseman Noah Miller, then Brett Tharp pitched a strikeout to Pool.
After a stolen base by Harman, Ault was hit by a pitch and a pickoff error at second base advanced the runners.
Tingler stepped up to the plate and ripped a two-RBI single into left field going just past Smith’s glove at shortstop and the throw home was late as the Vikings went up 4-1.
Berg popped out to Brett Tharp in front of the mound, who turned the double play throwing to second base.
Baker took a full-count walk to start the sixth inning and Dove hit into a fielder’s choice out at second base by Masih and Ault obstructed the angle of the throw to first as Dove arrived there safely.
East Hardy’s Andrew Tharp doubled over Wisnewski in left field, then Mauzy came in to pitch for the Vikings.
Smith connected for an RBI groundout fielded by Masih and Alt sliced an RBI single just past the diving reach of Masih to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Whetzel singled into right field and Alex Miller reached base on an error by Masih which loaded the bases for the Cougars.
Skovron poked a grounder narrowly missing the tip of Masih’s glove diving for the ball with it squeezing into left field for the game-tying RBI single, 4-all.
Mauzy struck out Brett Tharp to limit the damage.
“The wheels just fell off. There’s not much else you can say about that. Bad decisions cost you big time,” East Hardy coach Eric Heflin commented.
“We’ll play pretty good, then we’ll have just one bad inning. One bad inning was right there at the end of the game. I think maybe if it was sooner, we would have been able to battle back as the game went on. That’s baseball and that happens. You just have to take your blows and keep on going as best you can and keep your heads up moving to the next game.”
Petersburg made the most of its at-bat scoring eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning starting with a walk by Tharp to Hartman.
After a strikeout to Mauzy, Hartman stole second base and Masih was issued a free pass.
East Hardy catcher Alex Miller attempted to make a pickoff throw at third base with Noah Miller applying the tag as Hartman’s foot slid above the bag and was ruled safe.
There was a passed ball with Miller chasing after it as Hartman dashed toward home, then Miller threw it back to Tharp reaching down for the tag standing in front of home plate as Hartman slid in front and the run counted despite not actually touching the base when tagged giving a controversial lead to the Vikings, 5-4.
The home plate umpire talked briefly with Tharp after the play.
Pool sent a fly ball into shallow center field with Skovron making a dive for it and missed rolling over as a run came home.
Ault hit an RBI single into left center field and advanced to second base on the throw to third base.
Tingler was hit by a pitch and a run scored on a passed ball giving Petersburg an 8-4 advantage.
At this point Brett Tharp was at 108 pitches and the Cougars brought in Skovron to pitch.
Berg delivered a two-run producing single and advanced on the throw home and was safe there on the throw back, 10-4.
Skovron issued walks to Hartman and Mauzy.
Petersburg scored twice in the next sequence as a passed ball was collected by Miller with the throw going past Skovron as one run scored and another came home moments later as the ball continued to be thrown awry at second base.
After the chaos subsided, Skovron pitched a strikeout to finish the frame as the Vikings held a 12-4 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Harman came in as the closer for Petersburg.
Baker knocked a single into center field for the Cougars, then Harman struck out Dove.
East Hardy’s Andrew Tharp hit into a fielder’s choice which turned into an error as Masih dropped the ball and the throw to first base wasn’t in time.
Smith executed a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, but the game ended on a flyout from Alt to center field with Petersburg claiming the 12-4 victory.
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