PENNY HILL — The rain that fell early on March 23 had mostly disappeared by early afternoon, allowing St. Elizabeth and Mount Pleasant to play some baseball. The Vikings took advantage of the weather reprieve, smacking 11 hits and getting a complete game from Jackson Davis in a 6-1 win over the Green Knights.
The Vikings wasted no time going after Mount starting pitcher Derek Smith, scoring a run in very efficient fashion. Ben Campbell singled on the first pitch of the afternoon, moved to second on a groundout, taking third on a Luke Trout single and coming home on another single, this one by Eric O’Neill.
Smith settled down after that, retiring St. Elizabeth in order in the second and third with three strikeouts and just one ball leaving the infield. But the Vikings would score in each of the final four innings to put some space between themselves and the Green Knights.
Trout doubled to right-center to begin the fourth, moved to third on an O’Neill double down the left-field line and scored on a sacrifice fly by Davis. Mount third baseman Christian Mascucchini prevented more damage by barehanding a slow roller in the infield grass with two out and throwing Tucker Maddams out at first.
St. E’s went back to work with the bats in the fifth. With one out, Ryan McCormac walked and took second on a fielder’s choice. Jimmy Garrett scored him with a triple to deep right-center, and Garrett crossed the plate on a bloop single by Trout.
Meanwhile, Davis and the Vikings’ defense kept the Green Knights from putting anything together. Ryan Gray singled to begin the bottom of the first, but shortstop Campbell dove to stop a ground ball, with the second baseman, Jayden Gonzalez, picking up the ball and forcing Gray at second. Davis struck out the side in the second and, despite walking two, escaped trouble in the third.
Mount broke through in the sixth inning when Evan Schuibbeo singled home Gray with one out. Garrett, the first baseman, helped get his team out of the fifth with no further damage by scooping up a short-hopped throw to end the frame. Davis, nearing the early season pitch limit, walked the first batter in the seventh, but his infield turned a 5-4-3 double play on the first offering to the next batter. Campbell ranged into foul territory behind third base to catch a popup to end the game.
Davis scattered three hits, walked three and struck out four. Campbell was busy at shortstop, collecting six assists and two putouts. Trout had three hits and a walk with a run scored and a run batted in. O’Neill also had three hits with an RBI, while Campbell added two hits and two runs scored. The Vikings (1-1) are scheduled to host Saint Mark’s on Friday at 4 p.m. at Canby Park, weather permitting.
For Mount Pleasant, Gray had two of the three hits and scored their run. Smith struck out six in six innings, and Schuibbeo added another in his inning of relief. The Green Knights (0-2) are home against St. Georges on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
