While it's always nice to get a lot of hits, it's far more important to get TIMELY hits. There's no better example than West Valley's 16-7, eight-inning win over American River Tuesday at Mission College. WVC's 10 hits accounted for 1.6 runs each and were the fuel behind the Vikings' 2-1 season-opening series victory over the Beavers. The Vikings, through three games, have scored 36 runs on 32 productive hits.
ARC (1-2) actually outhit the Vikings (2-1) 11-10 in the entertaining contest on a cold, blustery afternoon. But, it was the Vikings who got production out of their double-digit knocks. Weston Scoffone made it 2-0, Vikings, with an RBI single in the second that scored Kyle Hartmanis. After ARC put three on the board in the top of the third to grab its only lead of the day, the Vikings exploded for five of their own in the home half.
A Curran Ozawa-Burns double knocked in Connor Leaverton, Cole Murchison's single scored Ozawa-Burns, Hartmanis knocked in Murchison with a fielder's choice and Jaden Mazzaferro made it 7-3 with an RBI one-bagger that drove in Hartmanis.
American River closed to within 7-6 in the sixth, but West Valley responded with a three-spot in the bottom of the inning. Leaverton ripped a single up the middle that drove in Scoffone and Mazzaferro, and Henry Wright scored on a passed ball that made it 10-6.
The Vikings put it away with six runs in the seventh. Scoffone singled in Jacob Dressler, and then Hartmanis was plunked to set the stage for a Wright three-run blast over the left-field fence for an insurmountable 14-7 lead. WVC added a pair of runs as the sun set in the seventh on a Leaverton passed-ball run and an RBI double from Dressler that knocked in Evan Meier, who was pinch-running for Murchison after he had singled.
Murchison finished 3-5 with an RBI, while Scoffone was 2-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Hartmanis scored three runs. Roman Connolly picked up his first collegiate win with two innings of relief work, highlighted by working out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
West Valley travels to Salinas Feb. 5 for non-league game against Coast Conference rival Hartnell (0-4). First pitch is noon.