The Vikings knotted the best of five Raphael Jackson AA Baseball League finals with a hard fought, 9-7, victory over the 40 Plus Hurricanes Friday night at the D.C. Canegata Ball Park.
The Vikings were in cruise control, sailing along with a 9-2 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, when the old men of the league pushed five runs across the plate before surrendering the final out.
From the opening innings it was obvious that it would be a long day for the Hurricanes as veteran ace, Geronimo Newton, went down with a groin injury after just 1-2/3 innings of work. He was replaced by old warrior Malcolm McGregor, who held his own against the Vikings. At the same time Vikings starter Timothy Sneed was as sharp as ever, mowing down the Hurricanes in the early innings.
But after sailing along over the first four innings, Sneed appeared to hit a wall in the fifth, and was relieved by the “go-to man,” Colin Williams, who pitched the rest of the way for the Vikings series-tying victory.
The Vikings scored one run in the third, four in the fourth, two in the fifth and one each in the seventh and ninth to account for their nine runs.
The Hurricanes plated their first two runs in the fifth and seventh innings, before rallying for five in the bottom of the ninth.
The Vikings finished with nine runs on 10 hits and four errors, while the Hurricanes had seven runs on eight hits and five errors. Williams got the win in relief, while McGregor took the loss for the Hurricanes.
The Vikings’ victory almost turned ugly in the bottom of the ninth after a collision at the plate between the Vikings catcher and a Hurricanes base runner cleared both benches. The play at the plate may have been the catalyst, but it really was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. Players on both teams had been jeering at each other throughout the contest.
Cooler heads prevailed, however, and an altercation was avoided.