By: Kasey Salamie
Southland Vikings Contributor
Rockford—Tuesday night’s game was the definition of playoff baseball. The playoffs are always the most exhilarating games in sports because both teams put everything on the line to win. Both the Southland Vikings (0-1) and the Rockford Foresters (1-0) wanted to win the critical game one of a three game playoff series.
The Vikings starter Stanten Jones was dominant for the first five innings of the game. He had a one-hitter through five innings. His ending line was six innings pitched, seven walks, four hits, one-earned run, and eight strikeouts.
“I was cruising through the first five innings,” said Jones. “Walking guys caught up to me in the sixth.
Everything was looking good for the Vikings early in the game. They caught a break in the second inning when an error was committed by the Foresters to allow the Vikings to take a 1-0 lead.
Ryan March lead the fifth inning off with a double for the Vikings. March would then proceed to score on a single by Elliot Armstrong to make the score the 2-0.
The Foresters cut the lead to 2-1 on a single from Cyrus Wimberly in the sixth. The sixth would be the Foresters most productive inning. A two-run single would give Rockford the lead 3-2 after six innings.
In the top of the eighth inning the Vikings would retake the lead. George Patteson had a clutch single to tie the score 3-3. Duggan hit a RBI double down the left field line to give the Vikings a 4-3 lead.
The Foresters would answer the Vikings in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ziggie Vanderwall came up with a two-run single to give the Foresters a 5-4 lead.
The Vikings were still not done. In the top of the ninth Elliot Armstrong reached on a single. Ian O’Connor came up with two outs in the inning. He hit a foul pop fly that was easily playable by the Forester’s first basemen. He misplayed the foul ball and it gave O’Connor new life. O’Connor took full advantage by hitting a rocket into the left center gap that scored Armstrong. O’Connor’s hit was beyond clutch. His team was down to their final out and final strike of the ball game and he was able to come through.
“It was 3-2 count,” said O’Connor. “I was looking for something that was in the zone and I got a pitch I liked.”
On the first pitch in the bottom of the tenth inning Cyrus Wimberly hit a gap-shot. He made an aggressive move by trying to get a triple. The ball got away as the Vikings were trying to get him at third. Wimberly was able to score easily after the overthrow. That was the game winning play for the Foresters that ended the game at 6-5.
Viking’s manager Chris Cunningham was proud of the way his team battled. “This was a tough loss. We had the lead in this game multiple times. Rockford’s a good team and they found a way to win this one. We’re a resilient club and I have confidence we will win tomorrow to force a game three.”