Central baseball falls to Vikings

A walk is as good as a hit.

The visiting Parkway North Vikings took that to heart Saturday at Capaha Field, using 10 walks by Central pitchers to dispatch of the Tigers 7-5.

"That's what we've been fighting," Central coach Steve Williams said. "I'm disappointed in our pitching. Not that we've let up many runs, but we're giving up free runs."

Parkway North's first three batters reached by walk, with two runs crossing the plate. The Vikings (3-1) put another run across in the second with the help of a walk and a hit batter.

"We've got to find someone that can take the mound and will do the job and throw strikes," Williams said.

While the Tigers (1-3) continually put Parkway North runners on base, Central had to scratch and claw for good offensive chances against Viking starter Mike Grace. Grace allowed a hit in all five innings he pitched, but Central could not string together hits when it needed to.

Central's best opportunity to get to Grace came in the fourth inning. After starting the inning with a pop-out, Central's next three batters reached. But Grace got the next two batters to pop out and strike out to get out of the jam.

"The third and fourth inning we had a couple of guys on base with two outs, and we couldn't capitalize on it," Williams said.

Grace left the game with a 6-1 lead after walking the first batter he faced in the sixth inning. Central took advantage of the pitching change, scoring four runs off reliever Jerry York. Patrick Slattery capped off Central's big inning with a mammoth three-run home run over the 380-foot sign in left-center.

Williams said Slattery has hit well all season, and he finally was able to come to the plate in RBI situations against Parkway North.

"He had some guys on the bases when he was up and he cashed in," Williams said.

Slattery's home run cut the lead to 6-5, but Central's wildness came back the very next inning. Jake Welch, who came in to pitch in the sixth, had two wild pitches in the seventh which allowed Parkway North to add an insurance run.

Central got its leadoff man on in the seventh, but three straight pop-outs ended the Tigers' comeback threat. The loss was Central's third straight after an opening win over Chaffee.

Williams saidthere is no reason to panic, but his team needs to start picking it up.

"We're just not able to put it all together right now," he said.Parkway North 7, Central 5

Parkway North 210 021 1 -- 7 7 2

Central 100 004 0 -- 5 7 3

WP -- Mike Grace. LP -- Tyrone Reece. HR -- Patrick Slattery (C). 2B -- Zac Hudson (C). Multiple hits -- Parkway North, Andrew Moffat 2-3; Scott Hedrick 2-4; Central, Slattery 3-3. Records -- Parkway North 3-1, Central 1-3.

Notre Dame 11, Parkway North 1

In the nightcap of Parkway North's Cape Girardeau doubleheader, the Vikings fell short to a hot Bulldog squad.

Notre Dame, who was also playing its second game of the day, got a strong pitching performance from Lee Essner. Essner pitched all six innings, allowing only three hits and one walk.

Essner also had a hot bat, going 3-for-4. Shane Menz added three hits for the Bulldogs (6-2).

Parkway North 001 000 -- 1 3 2

Notre Dame 042 113 -- 11 15 1

WP -- Lee Essner. LP -- Mike Eck. 3B -- Shane Menz 2 (N), Matt Wulfers (N). 2B -- Jacob Essner (N), Dane Balsmann (N), Menz (N). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame, L. Essner 3-4; Wulfers 2-4; Menz 3-4; Tony Longman 2-4. Records -- Parkway North 3-2, Notre Dame 6-2.