By William / www.mcpherson-county-ks.com

LINDSBORG – The Smoky Valley baseball team dropped to 1-3 for the season on Monday when they dropped both ends of a doubleheader at home against Hillsboro.

In game one, the Vikings lost 11-5 before dropping the nightcap 10-8 when the game was called due to impending darkness.

Hillsboro jumped out early with four runs in the first inning and another pair in the third before the Vikings managed to push two across in the bottom of the third. After Hillsboro scored another four in the fifth, the three in the bottom of the fifth by the Vikings was just not going to be enough to avoid the final 11-5 loss.

Trevor Jones started game one on the mound for the Vikings and went 4.1 innings before Trayton Miller took over. Between the two they gave up 10 hits and while it says 11 runs, only seven were earned as the Vikings committed four fielding errors.

Kade Blanchat led the Smoky Valley offense in the first game by hitting for a double and triple among his three hits while Trevor Jones had a pair of hits as well. The Vikings did manage to steal six bases in the game but left 10 runners stranded on base.

In game two, Hillsboro once again jumped out early with a four run first inning before they added five more over the next three innings. Trailing 10-3 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Vikings poured across five runs to pull within a pair of runs before the umpires called the game due to impending darkness.

Blanchat had a pair of hits, both being doubles, to lead the Viking offense along with Braxton House who also had two hits. Blanchat also scored three times. The team left nine runners on base and again had defensive issues as Smoky Valley committed 11 more errors, giving them 15 in the two games.

Nolan Moore pitched 3.2 innings, giving up 14 hits and nine runs though only three were earned. Braxton House came on for the final 2.1 innings and held Hillsboro to just three hits and a single run.

Next up for the Smoky Valley baseball team will be on Friday when they take a road trip to Lyons.

GAME 1:                   1-2-3-4-5-6-7=R-H-E

Hillsboro                    4-0-2-0-4-0-1=11-10-1

VIKINGS                     0-0-2-0-3-0-0=5-9-4

VIKING HITTING (AB-R-H-RBI-BB): T. Jones 4-1-2-0-0; T. Miller 3-2-1-0-1; K. Blanchat 3-1-3-1-1; G. Moore 3-1-1-1-0; E. Able 4-0-1-1-0; A. Hill 3-0-1-1-1; G. Kearn 3-0-0-0-1; N. Moore 2-0-0-0-1; M. Hawk 2-0-0-0-1; B. House 4-0-0-0-0. Team Totals: 30-5-9-4-5. LOB: 10. 2B (1): K. Blanchat – 1. 3B (1): K. Blanchat – 1. SB (6): K. Blanchat – 2; T. Miller, T. Jones, G. Kearn, G. Moore – 1.

VIKING PITCHING (IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO): T. Jones 4.1-9-10-6-3-4; T. Miller 2.2-1-1-1-1-1. Team Totals: 7.0-10-11-7-4-5.

GAME 2:       1-2-3-4-5-6-7=R-H-E

Hillsboro        4-2-1-2-0-1-0=10-17-1

VIKINGS         1-1-0-0-1-5-X=8-9-11

VIKING HITTING (AB-R-H-RBI-BB): T. Jones 3-1-1-0-1; T. Miller 4-0-1-1-0; K. Blanchat 3-3-2-0-1; G. Moore 1-1-1-0-3; E. Able 4-1-1-1-0; A. Hill 4-0-0-1-0; G. Kearn 2-1-1-2-2; M. Hawk 3-0-0-0-0; B. House 3-1-2-0-0. Team Totals: 27-8-9-5-7. LOB: 9. 2B (3): K. Blanchat – 2; T. Jones – 1.

VIKING PITCHING (IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO): N. Moore 3.2-14-9-3-4-3; B. House 2.1-3-1-1-2-1. Team Totals: 6.0-17-10-4-6-4.

(William is a free-lance writer covering McPherson County Activities – he can be reached at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)