Baird baffles Modesto as Vikings blank Pirates

Keegan Baird delivers a first inning pitch against Modesto
Keegan Baird delivers a first inning pitch against Modesto

Keegan Baird scattered four hits over six innings to lead the West Valley baseball team to a 2-0 shutout of Modesto on a brisk, overcast Tuesday afternoon at Valhalla. Baird gave up singles in the first and second and then settled down to confuse the Pirates with off speed pitches before giving way to reliever Matt Atencio in the sixth. Modesto (5-2) loaded the bases in the top of the sixth on back-to-back singles off Baird and a four-pitch walk by Atencio. Atencio then struck out Brandon Booz and Branden Pasion and got Marco Gonzales to fly out to right to end the Pirate threat. West Valley (4-6) got all the runs it would need in the fourth on a leadoff double from Nate Petrov and an RBI two-bagger from Steven Grizzle. Robby Zanardelli's sacrifice fly to center brought home Grizzle for the 2-0 Viking lead that would hold up the rest of the way. Petrov finished 2-3 with a pair of doubles to lead the WVC scorecard. The three-game Viking/Pirate series moves to Modesto Thursday (2/14) for a 2:00pm game and then returns to Valhalla Saturday (2/16). First pitch Saturday is 1:00pm.