By Tim Peterson
(Baldwin Park) – Northview belted three home runs to highlight a ten hit attack in an 8-5 win over Baldwin Park Friday in Valle Vista League action.
Eddie Pedroza got the Vikings started with a two run shot in the first inning. He lowered the boom with two out after Tyler Grijalva led off the game and reached on an error.
Leading 5-0, Marco Mravic hammered a solo blast over the left center field fence in the fifth inning for a six run lead.
The third round tripper came in the sixth inning when Pedroza singled with one out and Damien Chico deposited one over the center field barrier in the deepest part of the ball park. At the time it seemed like simply gravy as Northview went up 8-2 but the Vikes needed the breathing room when Baldwin Park scrambled back with three in the bottom of the inning.
The Braves loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the seventh, but Northview freshman pitcher Nico Castaneda struck out the final batter to end it.
Trailing 8-2 entering the bottom of the sixth, Christian Torres laid down a bunt for a hit and Eddie Gutierrez was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Fernando Gonzalez singled to drive in a run and when the throw home got away another one scored as Gonzalez took second. Jarret Sotolongo followed with another base hit to make it 8-5.
Three hits in the seventh made it interesting before Castaneda wiggled off the hook. Xavier Martinez started for Northview and worked five plus innings. He struck out five and allowed seven hits and four runs.
The Vikings knocked out Baldwin Park starter Bernardo Flores in the third inning when Grijalva hit a line drive off of his leg. Ryan Dominguez relieved him with two outs in the third and went the rest of the way.
Pedroza had three of the ten hits for Vikes while driving in two and scoring two runs. Chico had two hits, two ribbies and two runs scored and Mravic was on base three times with an RBI and a run scored. Gonzalez had two hits and scored twice for the Braves.
With the victory, Northview remained perfect in the Valle Vista at 11-0 while Baldwin Park dropped to 2-9. The Vikes are two games ahead of second place San Dimas.
N 2 0 3 0 1 2 0 8
BP 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 5
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