Vandals open league play with pair of wins

The hits were many and so were the runs as Eureka opened the 1A Northern League season with 16-1 and 11-0 double header win over Pyramid Lake last Saturday.

The Vandals hammered out 20 hits total in the two-game set. The Lakers only had nine.

An 11-run second inning broke it open for Eureka in the first game as the boys scored on singles by Zachary Garcia, Gage Hayward, Josh Garcia, Carlin Hooper, Chance Trindle, a double by Mikel Lacovara, and were further aided by three stolen bases.

J. Garcia earned the win. He went three innings, gave up one run, four hits, seven strikeouts and no walks. Pyramid Lake managed only four hits for the game.

The second game could be termed a gathering of thieves as both teams combined for a total of 36 stolen bases! Eureka had 21 and Round Mountain counted 15.

Still, Gage Hayward and Bryson Wells teamed up for a shutout of the Lakers. Hayward allowed just one hit, had three strikeouts and no walks. Wells allowed no runs, allowed four hits and had four strikeouts.

Eureka scored four runs in the third inning thanks to a two stolen bases, and single hits by Wells and Shana Lacovara. Mickel Lacovara was 3-for-3 at the plate.

The Vandals also were credited with 18 stolen bases that game, J. Garcia had five.

Earlier in the week, April 6, the boys jumped out early and coasted to a non-league 19-7 win at Round Mountain.

Eureka began with three runs in the first inning including Wells, J. Garcia and Hayward each stealing home plate.

Then the Vandals added seven more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Five singles, a walk and an error helped account for the runs.

S. Lacovara got the win on the mound. He pitched four-and-a-third innings, giving up three runs, no hits, eight strikeouts, but did give up eight walks.

Eureka was even more aggressive on the base paths this game recording 21 steals. Wells led the team with six. The Knights weren’t during too bad either with 15.

On the schedule this week is a double header at Wells on Saturday.