By Staff
The South County Vikings, a travelling baseball team comprised of Niles High School players, opened its season on Monday with a doubleheader against Coldwater in the Kalamazoo 16 and under wooden bat league.
The Vikings split with Coldwater, winning the first game 5-2 and dropping a 4-1 decision in the second game.
Lyle Watson picked up the victory in the first game as he went the distance with four strikeouts and no walks.
Josh Henry led South County at the plate with a double and a triple. Watson helped his own cause with a home run and Rick Storm chipped in with two RBIs.
Mason Stephenson took the loss in the second game against Coldwater. He struck out six and walked none in going the distance.
Steve Clanton led the Vikings' hitting attack with two hits. Henry and Watson each had one hit as well.
On Tuesday night the Vikings played another doubleheader, this time against Penn (Ind.) in the Indiana High School 18 and under league.
Penn won the first game 4-3 but Niles picked up a 6-5 win in nine innings in the nightcap.
Kyle Kidwell took the loss for Niles in the opening game. He allowed just four hits and struck out eight in the effort.
Kyle Isabel and Cory Coquillard paced Niles at the plate with a double each. Kidwell, Watson, Matt Richardson and Adrian Davis each added one hit.
Cory Coquillard started on the mound for South County in the second game and Adrian Davis earned the victory after relieving Coquillard in the sixth inning. The two combined for a two-hitter in nine innings. Coquillard struck out nine and Davis fanned seven.
Davis paced South County at the plate with two singles. Henry, Rick Storm, Kidwell, Watson, Clanton and Richardson each added one hit. Nick Downing added a double while Coquillard chipped in a triple.
Wednesday afternoon the Vikings hosted Schoolcraft in a Kalamazoo league doubleheader.
The Vikings blanked Schoolcraft 2-0 in the first game but suffered a 7-6 loss in the second game.
Clanton picked up the victory for South County in the opener as he tossed a complete-game one-hitter.
Drew Donahue paced the Vikings at the plate with a single and a double. Downing, Jake Messner and Storm each added a hit.
Anthony Saviano started on the mound in the second game but Stephenson came on in relief in the third inning and took the loss.
Henry, Storm, Clanton and Saviano each had one hit for the Vikings.