Published Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:47 AM
Updated Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:48 AM

 

Knights conquer Vikings in extra innings, 5-4

The Knights proved anything can happen in the playoffs with a 5-4 extra innings win over Spring Valley Saturday.

Down 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, SHS turned to Aaron Preston, who singled. Preston’s speed allowed him to steal second before first baseman Mecho Bohren stepped to the plate.

With a 2-2 count and a silent Stratford crowd looking on, Bohren blasted a 2-run homer over right field for the tie the game and send it into extra innings.

“I knew when it came off the bat that it was gone,” Bohren said. “The whole team was playing really hard out there and I’m glad that my hit was able to give us the chance to win the game. It felt really good.”

Singles by Stratford’s Mark Bone and Kyle Legette, combined with a sacrifice bunt by Josh Crout, put runners in scoring position with one out. With the game on the line, the Vikings made a pitching change. It would cost them.

A wild pitch allowed Bone to steal home and Stratford captured its second playoff victory, 5-4.

“The Vikings are a great team,” Stratford Head Coach John Chalus said. “We were down most of the game. The team was able to pull together and get the runs needed to win the game when it counted the most.”

An RBI double by Stratford’s’ Damon Ardis gave the Knights a 1-0 lead in the first, but Spring Valley tied the game in the top of the third.

With Stratford’s’ Jeremy Eades on first, a sacrifice fly by Patrick Limehouse and a wild pitch to Preston allowed Eades to advance to third. With one out and runners on first and third the Knights looked to retake the lead, but were stopped by a double play.

“There were a couple times during the game where we had a chance to put runs on the board,” Chalus said. “Spring Valley did a good job of canceling out those opportunities.”

With men on second and third, Spring Valley took a 3-1 lead with a hit in the top of the fifth before the side was retired. After singling in the bottom of the fifth, Legette stole his third base before Eades was walked. Spring Valley called in a pitching change with Stratford runners on first and third.

A single by Limehouse drove in Legette to make it a 1-run game, but lead to another double play by Spring Valley. A pop fly by Preston ended the inning.

The strong arm of Stratford’s Chris Hanna, who pitched all eight innings, kept the game close. He struck out two in the top of the sixth as Spring Valley went three and out.

“My arm felt good out there today,” Hanna said. “They got some hits off of me and I found myself behind in the count a few times but, the team backed me up with some solid defense.”

Spring Valley scored another run in the top of the seventh for a 4-2 lead before Bohren’s homerun sent the game into the eighth.

“It was a great win,” Chalus said. “I’m very proud of the way the team has come together and matured throughout the season.

“We had a few early season injuries and we still have a young team but they have proven they can win. We’re still going to work on everything before our next game Wednesday.”

Stratford will face the winner of the Monday’s South Florence/Spring Valley game on April 30.