In a game that eclisped a total of 3 hours and 56 minutes it was nothing short of exciting throughout for the Vikings and Generals. The Vikings came to Griffith after a grueling 17-2 loss motivated to get a win on the board and to win their series finale against the Generals. In the last game against the Generals for the season the Vikings threw David Anderson out there to start.
The Vikings continued to score early on as it was a Preston Lund sac fly and a single by Andrew Jimenez that had the Vikings up 2-0 after the 2nd inning. Anderson who was doing a great job through the first 3 innings started struggling after walking multiple batters and would eventually be taken out of the 4th after giving up 4 runs.
It was Owen Bendis in the top of the 5th who had a 3 RBI double in the game to take back the lead from the Generals 5-4. Then, in the bottom of the 6th, the Generals stormed back into the game with walks and hits and took up a 10-5 lead after the 6th inning. "I just told the guys to stay in it and keep battling at the plate and on the mound." said coach Jake Hunt, and it was exactly what the Vikings were doing as they kept chipping away inning after inning.
It was a Preston Lund groundout and a Aaron Gouwens sac fly that cut into the Generals lead but still were up 10-7. It wasn't until the top of the 8th where the Vikings tied the game up at 10 thanks to a walk and a single by Owen Bendis. After some struggling with the pitching the Vikings would turn to 2nd basemen and someone who has previously pitched for them before, Andrew Jimenez. Jimenez did a great job holding the Generals and kept the game tied going into the top of the 10th. The top of the 10th is where the Vikings took charge, It was a RBI single by Mike Lustina and a 3 RBI triple by Owen Bendis to extend the lead going into the bottom of the 10th, 14-10. It was then Jimenez shut down the Generals and the Vikings won the game by a score of 14-11.
The Vikings overall did a great job coming back and doing wonderful at the plate, but it was Owen Bendis who deserves the spotlight on the hitting side, Bendis went 3/5 with 6 RBI's coming off a single, double, and triple. On the other side of the ball it was Andrew Jimenez who came in during a troubling time for the Vikings and was lights out in his 4 innings of work striking out 3 General batters.
The Vikings are back at it at Dowling Park against the Oilmen at 5:00 Monday.
