Vikings swept by Hillman at home

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

The Viking baseball team is looking to regroup, recharge, click refresh, something that begins with ?re? that removes the bad taste of losing a doubleheader Monday to rival Hillman. Posen (6-7-1, 5-3) dropped the first game 8-4, and just when it seemed like the boys were ready to steal one in the late innings of game two, a rally fell short with the bases loaded for a 4-2 loss. Head coach Pat Kowalski was disappointed with the execution of the fundamentals and the effort, particularly with some of his upperclassmen. ?We didn?t do the little things,? said Kowalski. ?We gave them the North Star League title.?

JEROME CIARKOWSKI got the nod on the mound in game one against the Tigers. ?Right in the first inning, he was pitching excellent,? said Kowalski. ?We had three errors in the first inning, leading to all three runs.? Hillman added two the next inning and went up 5-0, before Posen scratched a run across. Scott Couture got on board via an error, worked his way around the bases, before scoring on another Hillman miscue.

The Tigers added two more in the top of the fifth for a six run lead, 7-1. Posen got something going in the bottom of the fifth when Kowalski squeezed in a pair of runs with the bases loaded, and instead of going to the well again, he had Patrick Schuch swing away. Unfortunately, the ball was grounded to the pitcher for a double play. Hillman would add one more run, and so would Posen, as Luke Bruski hit a high fly ball that carried over the 295 sign in the left field corner. Ciarkowski (2-2) went 4 1/3 innings

, giving up five hits, one walk, two earned runs and struck out two. He took the loss.

?He didn?t get any defensive or offensive support, mainly defensive support,? said Kowalski. Justin LaPointe was 2-for-4, while Shane Hentkowski was 2-for-3. GAME TWO was closer, although it didn?t start the way the Hall of Fame coach wanted with walks given up by starter Hentkowski. ?They scored two runs on zero hits and three walks,? said Kowalski. The Vikings countered with an RBI-double by Bruski in the second inning. Hillman clung to a 2-1 lead into the top of the fifth, before adding a run on a sacrifice fly.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the sixth with the score 4-1, Hillman. Eighth-grader Brandon Dietz lined a double between the outfielders and advanced to third on a passed ball. Nathan Lenard and Couture both walked to load the bases, and with two out, Schuch ripped a RBI-single. With the bases still loaded, the game ended on a strikeout on a full count. Hentkowski took the loss and is now 2-3-1. He limited Hillman to four hits, struck out six, but gave up six walks. THE VIKES broomed Mio last Thursday, 9-5 and 7-2. Ciarkowski (H, 5 K?s) and Hentkowski (2 H, ER, 12 K?s, 5 W) earned wins. Ciarkowski collected three singles in game one. Game two hitters include: LaPointe 3-for-4, Lenard 2-for-3 with two RBI, Couture 2-for-3 and Travis Hirschman 2-for-2 including a double. The Vikings picked up a doubleheader with Pickford Wednesday and will be at Arenac Eastern today. They will be at Fairview Monday.

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