Vikings Drop Two at Home

After securing a pair of road wins, the Big Bend Community College Vikings looked to carry their momentum into the home half of their series on Saturday, April 5, against the visiting Timberwolves. However, despite solid efforts on the mound, offensive struggles proved costly as the Vikings dropped both ends of the doubleheader.

In Game 1, sophomore Brendan McKinley got the start and was largely sharp, striking out six over six innings. A third-inning hiccup, however, would prove to be the difference. With two outs and nobody on, the Timberwolves erupted for five runs—capitalizing on a flurry of timely hits and defensive miscues.

McKinley handed the ball over to Garrison Garton, who was dominant in relief. Garton delivered three innings of shutout baseball, striking out seven and keeping the Vikings within striking distance. Offensively, Roman Basurto led the way, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, but the Vikings' bats went cold after the fourth inning, ultimately falling short in a 5–4 loss.

Game 2 brought new hope and a new face on the mound as freshman Brady Sprague made his first collegiate start. After several strong outings from the bullpen, Sprague ran into early trouble, surrendering three runs across just two innings of work. Enter Talan Wright, who continued the Vikings' bullpen excellence. The freshman tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball, fanning six and issuing no walks.

Unfortunately, the Vikings' offensive woes continued. Despite putting runners on base, the team struggled to execute in key moments, dropping the nightcap 4–2.

The two losses bring Big Bend's conference record to 3–5 as they prepare to host Wenatchee Valley College on Wednesday in hopes of regaining ground in the standings.