Vandals fall at home to Mineral County

Mineral County won both games last week with Eureka 11-4 and 14-1.

“We did good in the first game,” Vandal coach Kia Davis said, “but in the second game we just never came out to play. We just made too many errors.”

In the first game the teams passed the lead back-and-forth, but eventually Mineral County prevailed by scoring a run for a 5-4 lead in the fourth inning on a wild pitch by Vandal pitcher Gavin Denshire. The Serpents then four more runs in the seventh inning thanks to a walk and three batters being hit by a pitch to score one run. Then Ta Wachsmuth doubled in two runs and later scored himself on a single by David Ditmer.

Both teams hit well. Mineral County had 11 and Eureka collected 10. Kolton Anderson, Mikel Lacovara and Carlin Hooper each got at least two hits. And the boys were sure handed on the field committing no errors.

However, it was the second game that coach Davis said the team just didn’t seem to show up. Even though they took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run scoring single by Anderson, it was the only hit of the game for the Vandals.

Mineral County took over in the second inning with three runs and exploded for 11 in the third inning. The inning was driven by two singles from by Bodie Oberhansli, a single each by Tony Dominguez, Andre Davis, Ta Wachsmuth, Ethan Nelms, and a double by Chance Stearns. The Serpents hammered out 12 hits in the game.

Wachsmuth pitched for Mineral County. He threw five innings of one run, one hit ball, struck out seven and walked three.

Anderson started for Eureka, giving up five runs on two hits, three strikeouts and six walks. He was relieved by Byrson Wells who gave up nine runs on 10 hits, four strikeouts and two walks.

Mineral County (14-6-1, 4-0) leads the 1A Northern Division moving toward with playoffs with Virginia City, Sierra Lutheran, Wells, and Smith Valley likely contenders.

The Serpents seemed to have the No. 1 playoff berth locked up and play host to Wells today. That will leave Wells, Virginia City Sierra Lutheran and Smith Valley to fight for the other three spots. Smith Valley might have the toughest road to travel as they play Virginia City today and Sierra Lutheran May 2.