Vikings Settle for Series Split After Rollercoaster Finish in Wenatchee

After splitting their previous series with Blue Mountain Community College, the Big Bend Community College Vikings hit the road looking to secure a series win against Wenatchee Valley. Despite flashes of brilliance, BBCC settled for another split following a heartbreaking loss and a gritty extra-inning victory on Saturday.

In Game 1, the Vikings handed the ball to sophomore left-hander Brendan McKinley. McKinley battled through 5 2/3 innings, allowing 11 hits and three earned runs before handing things over to the bullpen. Jacob Kanaly, Garrison Garton, Nolan Soderstrom, and Brady Sprague combined to finish the game, trying to preserve what was once a 5-0 deficit.

The Viking offense was quiet early but exploded for four runs in the top of the eight and ninth, giving BBCC an 8-5 cushion. JT Penrod sparked a late surge with a towering three-run home run in the eighth, bringing the Vikings within one before their ninth-inning outburst.

However, the game unraveled in the bottom of the ninth. Closer Nolan Soderstrom struggled to find the strike zone, walking four batters while only recording one out. Coupled with costly defensive miscues, the Vikings' three-run lead quickly disappeared. Wenatchee capitalized and walked it off with a 9-8 win, leaving BBCC stunned.

Reeling from the gut-wrenching loss, BBCC regrouped for Game 2 with freshman right-hander Talan Wright toeing the rubber. Wright silenced Wenatchee through four innings as the Vikings grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fifth. But the home team answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half.

BBCC bounced back with a five-run seventh inning, only to see their lead slip away once more as Wenatchee responded with a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth, tying the game at 6-6 heading into the ninth.

With the game deadlocked into extras, Garrison Garton, who took over in the seventh, remained poised on the mound. In the 10th, Rylan Osbjornsen worked a two-out walk and was running on the pitch when Oak Held smoked a double over the center fielder's head, scoring the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the 10th, BBCC's defense bent but didn't break. With two outs and runners on first and second, the Vikings finally slammed the door, escaping with a dramatic 7-6 victory and salvaging the series split.

The offense showed signs of life throughout the day. Oak Held led the charge with a five-hit performance, JT Penrod continued his power surge, and Camron Fleck chipped in with three hits of his own.

Now 5-7 in league play, the Vikings will look to build momentum as they host the Walla Walla Warriors on Wednesday, April 14.