Wamac leaders Vinton-Shellsburg, West Delaware split

MANCHESTER —Scrappy and unselfish.

Vinton-Shellsburg Coach Jim Struve admitted that is a fair characterization of the Vikings' baseball team that reached the Class 3A state tournament last season.

'They've played a lot of baseball together,' Struve said. 'They're always encouraging with each other.

'The thing I like most is they are just mentally tough. They're not afraid to give up their at-bat to move runners up. They just love to compete.'

Those traits helped them earn a doubleheader split between Wamac Conference divisional leaders last night at Class 3A 10th-ranked West Delaware.

Vinton-Shellsburg (12-6) received a solid complete game performance from Scottie Wirth for a 4-1 victory in eight innings, before the Hawks rebounded with 3-2 decision in the nightcap.

Defense and pitching were key for both teams, which couldn't produce a run until the seventh inning of the first game.

'We did a lot of good things,' Struve said. 'We played clean defensively. We made a lot of real nice plays. Offensively, especially in that first game, we played a little small ball.'

Small ball is what helped apply pressure in extra innings and the decisive eighth. Wirth hit an infield single to lead off, and Jared Thompson followed with a base hit to right. Nate Struve executed a sacrifice bunt, but the throw sailed down the right-field line, allowing Wirth and Thompson to score. Struve capped the scoring, coming home on Tanner Rippel's bunt.

After having a 14-game win streak snapped, the Hawks prevented the sweep. Owen Ward tossed a complete-game four-hitter.

'I'm very proud of how they came out and put a few runs up,' West Delaware Coach Nate Lahr said. 'I think we had a few chances to put the game away when we could have capitalized with some guys on. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with our performance other than execution at the plate.'

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