Tom Reck
Tribune-Star Correspondent
WEST TERRE HAUTE —
West Vigo took a 3-1 first-inning lead on Wednesday, but Edgewood scored last to defeat the Vikings 4-3 in nine innings in a Western Indiana Conference baseball game at Ballinger Field.
After the Vikings took advantage of four walks, two errors and a leadoff hit by Cade Lindsey to score three runs — two unearned — in the first frame, they were shut out on three hits over the next seven innings by Jacob Bauer. Ryan Newman came on in the ninth to get his second save.
Bauer finished with seven walks and 11 strikeouts to improve to 4-4 for the season. “I always have trouble in the early innings. It’s a mental block,” said the senior.
Kevin Stewart went the distance for the Vikings and pitched well enough to win but dropped to 1-5 instead. He walked only one batter, struck out 11 and scattered 12 hits.
Reece Phillips began the winning rally in the ninth for the Mustangs when he reached on an error with one out after a popup dropped foul behind home plate.
He took third on a single by Zach Allam and scored on the second West Vigo miscue of the inning.
Stewart then struck out Bauer and Grant Pederson to end the action but the damage had been done.
West Vigo kept its hopes alive after Newman retired the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth.
Kyle Stewart singled and took second on an error. Cody Thornton took first on the play but Cogan Stewart flied out to deep left field to end the contest.
Edgewood scored first when Newman led off the game with an infield single, was sacrificed to second by Reece Phillips and scored on Allam’s single.
The Mustangs got their second run in the second when Pederson led off with a single and scored on a one-out single by Bryan Delos Santos.
The Mustangs tied the count at 3-3 in the fourth when Delos Santos reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on what turned out to be a double steal as Newman stole second.
Both teams had other opportunities to score. West Vigo left 11 runners on base — stranding three in the first, two in the second, fifth and sixth.
“You just can’t take called strike three with runners on base … it doesn’t take that long to adjust to the strike zone. The pitching was awesome [and] we made plays,” said West Vigo coach Steve DeGroote.
“Hopefully, we’ll respond. Some of these kids have come a long way,” he added.
Kyle Stewart had two of the Vikes’ five hits, while Newman and Allam each had three hits for the Mustangs.
The Vikings concluded the Western Indiana Conference portion of their schedule, finishing 3-3. They’ll take a 12-9 record into a doubleader at Bob Warn Field on Saturday against North Daviess and North Montgomery with the first game starting at 10 a.m.
A game originally scheduled with Clay City for today has been rescheduled for May 17.
Edgewood is 9-8 for the season and 2-2 in the WIC.
