The Grand View Vikings baseball team hosted Viterbo University in a double header Saturday afternoon. Both teams came in to the first game with identical 15-6 conference marks and in a tie for the top spot in the Midwest Collegiate Conference standings. With an 8-6 extra innings win in the first game and a 7-1 defeat of the V-Hawks in the second game, the Vikings left the diamond on Saturday as MCC Regular Season Champions.
Grand View's Marc Mericle played the role of hero in the first contest, as he hit a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning. Mericle's home run, with Chris Cutler on first base, gave the Vikings the 8-6 advantage and all the momentum going into game two.
In the first inning both teams scored one run, as the Vikings scored on a lead-off home run from Corey Burnes. While Grand View's starting pitcher Austin Denny kept the V-Hawks at bay early in the game, the Vikings offense exploded in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth inning, Grand View's Kyler Morgan singled with the bases loaded to score two runs, giving the home team a 3-1 advantage.
In the following inning, Grand View's offense came through scoring three more runs. Brady Wathen drove home the first Viking run of the inning on an RBI single. With Wathen on first base, Jeff Brooks drove a home run to center field to give Grand View a 6-1 lead.
Despite the lead, Viterbo would not go away quietly, scoring three runs in the top half of the sixth inning. The V-Hawks chased Denny from the game in the sixth inning. With a two run lead in the final half inning, Grand View turned to their closer Jason Davila. Davila, Grand View's all-time saves leader, was unable to add to his school record save total in this game. Viterbo scored two runs on two hits, tying the game 6-6 in the seventh inning, setting the stage for Mericle's magic in extra innings.
Grand View was led in hitting by Brooks and Mericle, who each finished with three hits and two RBIs. Morgan and Wathen both finished game one with two hits. Davilla got the two inning win, while starting pitcher Austin Denny gave up four runs in 5.1 innings, striking out seven Viterbo batters.
With a win in the second game on Saturday afternoon the Vikings would clinch the number one seed in next week's post-season tournament. But the V-Hawks of Viterbo came out early in the first inning and scored on an a base hit off of Grand View's Jared Meggison.
Viterbo's early lead was short lived, as Meggison shut the door on the V-Hawks offense the rest of the game. Meggison did not allow another run and went the distance, striking out five and scattering seven hits.
Grand View took the lead in the bottom half of the second inning when Brooks belted a two-run home run to left field, scoring Curtis Quijano. With a 2-1 lead, the Vikings put the game out of reach in the fifth inning when they scored five runs on five hits.
The fifth inning scoring started when Mericle singled to left field, scoring Burnes. Matt Dunn drove home the next run of the inning when he connected on his only base hit of the game, driving in Cutler. A sacrifice fly from Wathen gave the Vikings their third run of the inning. The final two runs of the afternoon came on Morgan's single to center field to score Dunn and Michael Jontz.
Meggison took the mound with a 7-1 lead in the top of the seventh inning and only three outs away from a regular season conference title. While Viterbo was able to get two base hits, the final out came on a fielder's choice when Morgan flipped to Mericle to force out Viterbo's Kyle Dreger.
Grand View was led in game two by Brooks' two hits and two RBIs. Joining Brooks with two hits was Mericle, while Morgan finished with two RBIs on one base hit.
The Vikings will host Viterbo Sunday afternoon at Noon for the final regular season game (1x9) of the season.