The Southland Vikings, who entered Tuesday having scored 29 runs the last two game, had no problems scoring against their rival the Oilmen in the Veterans Benefit Game at Oil City Stadium.
The Vikings defeated the Oilmen 14-8 as they racked up a season-high 23 hits in the victory.
Vikings starter Dan Wetzel, who was making his second start of the season and is 1-0 with a 4.82 ERA, made the start and was opposed Oilmen starter Danny Pobereyko, who was 2-1 on the season with a 2.76 ERA.
In the first inning, Bobby Sheppard hit a double off the left field wall, Jeff Boehm hit a base hit to drive in Sheppard and Dan Potempa hit his third home run of the season to left-center field to give the Vikings the 3-0 lead.
Wetzel got run support early from his team, as the Vikings were able to score three runs in the first inning and Wetzel was able to retire the Oilmen 1-2-3 in the first. Wetzel ran into trouble in the second inning by hitting Craig Dedelow, giving up a base hit to Larry Crisler, Alec Ornelas got an RBI groundout and a wild pitch scored Crisler as the Oilmen cut the lead to 3-2.
The Vikings started another rally in the third inning as Sheppard hit his third home run of the season over the left-field scoreboard, to make it 4-2. Chris Sujka hit a double and Stefano Belmonte hit a key two-out single to make it 5-2 in favor of the Vikings. The Vikings loaded the bases, but were not able to score again in the third inning.
The Vikings struck again in the fourth as Dan Potempa hit a two run single, giving Potempa four RBIs in the game and putting him at 12 on the season and giving the Vikings a 7-2 lead.
The Oilmen started a rally off a Wetzel in the bottom of the fourth inning, hitting five straight singles to cut the lead to 7-4. Wetzel got two straight outs, bu Oilmen got another run as Vikings still led 7-5 going into the fifth inning.
Oilmen starter Danny Pobereko’s night was done after the fourth inning as he lasted only four innings allowing seven runs on 10 hits, but the Vikings were not done hitting after Pobereyko left the game.
The Vikings had another scoring chance in the top of the sixth inning as they had the bases loaded, but were unable to score. They still led the game 9-5.
Wetzel’s night was done after he pitched five innings, allowing five runs and eight hits but was able to pick him up his second victory of the season to improve to 2-0.
The Oilmen were able to tack on two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Vikings lead to 9-7.
Sheppard was up with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, and added to his performance and finished 5-for-6 on the day with a home run, two doubles, and three RBIs.
“I saw the ball good today and I have been red hot,” Sheppard said. “Our lineup is pretty stacked and we have been red hot today.”
Potempa also paced the Vikings, going 3-for-6 and hitting two home runs and five RBIs.
“We knew it was going to happen; our lineup is deep,” Potempa said. “Our lineup through one through nine has power.”
Anthony Spangler came in to pitch the ninth inning and get the last three outs for the Vikings after Oilmen tried to rally, leaving the bases loaded.
The 14-8 victory for the Vikings allowed the Vikings to defeat the Oilmen (14-8, 12-7 in the Midwest Collegiate League) for the first time all season.
“These guys know how to play and how to hit. We are getting hot at right time,” manager Chris Cunningham said. “We have great guys and always believed in themselves.”
The Vikings (11-8) have now won their last three games by scoring 43 runs. The Vikings next game will be tomorrow night as the Vikings take on the Hounds at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
