2008 Woodie Awards
Weekend woes end Viking playoff run
Baseball team's bats can't bail out struggling pitchers
Michal Olszewski
Issue date: 5/15/08 Section: Sports
The aces went the wrong kind of wild in the Vikings opening round loss to Orange Coast on May 9-10 at Wendell Pickens Field in Cosa Mesa.
Viking pitchers Randy Serrato and Alex Van Horn, the South Coast Conference leaders in earned run average, were both roughed up early in their starts, leaving the team helpless against the Pirates' (32-13-1) relentless offense and dropped it's record to 26-20.
"Our pitching let us down, which was a big surprise," head coach Casey Crook said.
Serrato, the conference leader in wins with nine, and second in the league in ERA at 1.79, couldn't get out of the third inning as the Pirates piled on five straight hits during the eight-run inning to hand the pitcher his second loss of the season on Saturday, May 10.
"Randy was a surprise," Crook said. "Physically, he just looked overworked."
Despite trailing the entire game, the Vikings never let down. The team's bats woke up and pounded out 14 hits, drew six walks and caught some good fortunate bounces with Orange Coast committing four errors.
Viking leadoff hitter Michael Schultz gave them some help offensively going four for 10 in the series with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
"It was the same problem we had all season long," Schultz said. "We just didn't execute when we had to."
Trailing 9-7 in the ninth, the Vikings had the winning run at the plate, but Serrato grounded into a season-ending double play.
The game had a déjà vu sense to it for the starting pitchers, as the day before the results were eerily similar.
Van Horn, the conference ERA leader, came out of the gate on Friday, May 9 with a quick first inning, but the wheels came off in second.
Following a leadoff walk to Pirate designated hitter Kyle Muhlsteff, Viking catcher Derek Junghanel airmailed a throw to first base on a sacrifice bunt that set the tone for the rest of the inning.
Orange Coast took advantage of the error in a big way, scoring six runs in the inning, a hole the Vikings couldn't climb out of.
Van Horn only lasted 1 1/3 innings and allowed six runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks, moving his record to 0-6.
"The one time [Serrato and Van Horn] had a bad start was this weekend," Schultz said. "Even with all that [pitching issues], we had a chance, but we couldn't capitalize on offense."
Brandon Dixon, the Pirates left-handed sophomore pitcher, picked up his tenth win of the season by allowing four runs in 7 1/3 innings, leading his team to a 9-4 win.
The Pirates sweep advanced the team to the Southern California Super Regionals this weekend at Cuesta College.
Times and opponents are to be determined.
Viking pitchers Randy Serrato and Alex Van Horn, the South Coast Conference leaders in earned run average, were both roughed up early in their starts, leaving the team helpless against the Pirates' (32-13-1) relentless offense and dropped it's record to 26-20.
"Our pitching let us down, which was a big surprise," head coach Casey Crook said.
Serrato, the conference leader in wins with nine, and second in the league in ERA at 1.79, couldn't get out of the third inning as the Pirates piled on five straight hits during the eight-run inning to hand the pitcher his second loss of the season on Saturday, May 10.
"Randy was a surprise," Crook said. "Physically, he just looked overworked."
Despite trailing the entire game, the Vikings never let down. The team's bats woke up and pounded out 14 hits, drew six walks and caught some good fortunate bounces with Orange Coast committing four errors.
Viking leadoff hitter Michael Schultz gave them some help offensively going four for 10 in the series with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
"It was the same problem we had all season long," Schultz said. "We just didn't execute when we had to."
Trailing 9-7 in the ninth, the Vikings had the winning run at the plate, but Serrato grounded into a season-ending double play.
The game had a déjà vu sense to it for the starting pitchers, as the day before the results were eerily similar.
Van Horn, the conference ERA leader, came out of the gate on Friday, May 9 with a quick first inning, but the wheels came off in second.
Following a leadoff walk to Pirate designated hitter Kyle Muhlsteff, Viking catcher Derek Junghanel airmailed a throw to first base on a sacrifice bunt that set the tone for the rest of the inning.
Orange Coast took advantage of the error in a big way, scoring six runs in the inning, a hole the Vikings couldn't climb out of.
Van Horn only lasted 1 1/3 innings and allowed six runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks, moving his record to 0-6.
"The one time [Serrato and Van Horn] had a bad start was this weekend," Schultz said. "Even with all that [pitching issues], we had a chance, but we couldn't capitalize on offense."
Brandon Dixon, the Pirates left-handed sophomore pitcher, picked up his tenth win of the season by allowing four runs in 7 1/3 innings, leading his team to a 9-4 win.
The Pirates sweep advanced the team to the Southern California Super Regionals this weekend at Cuesta College.
Times and opponents are to be determined.
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