Sports : Big week for Viking baseball: WaMac West Champs plan Parents Night, prepare for post-season on home field

After celebrating winning the WaMaC West Division on Friday with a split at No. 5 Marion, the 3rd-ranked Class 3A Vinton-Shellsburg Viking baseball team wraps up its regular season with a home non-conference game vs. Charles City tonight and a game at Waverly-Shell Rock on Tuesday. The Vikings hope to fill the local stands tonight for Parents Night, when they will honor their moms and dads for their support throughout this season, as well as their entire baseball careers. Many of the seniors have been playing together since youth baseball. VS will also host the District games beginning on Friday. They will play South Tama at 7 p.m. Friday, July 14, following the game between Benton Community and Grinnell. On Monday, July 17, the winners of those two games will play at 7 in Vinton. The winner of that game will play in the Sub-State game on Wednesday, July 19, with the winner of that game advancing to State. The Vikes play in Class 3, District 11. In the Sub-State contest, the District 11 winner will face the winner of District 12, which includes Oskaloosa, Pella, Knoxville and Chariton. Against Marion, the Vikings won Game 1 by scoring four earned runs against Senior Brady Donahue. Donahue will pitch for Mount Mercy next year, along with current Viking Tanner Davis and 2016 alum Tyler Rippel. Going into Friday's contest, Donahue given up just 5 earned runs all season. And although they lost 6-5 in extra innings in Game 2, the Vikings netted four earned runs against Indian soph pitcher Rick Atkins, who also had just given up 5 earned runs in his five previous starts this season. The Vikings also have a chance to win WaMaC title overall, as Coach Jim Struve explains in his Marion game summaries below. Game 1 Vikings Win 4-3 over Marion to Clinch a WEST DIVSION TITLE!!! Nathan Struve and Jared Thompson each had 3 hits and an RBI and Struve added a double. Tanner Davis had 2 hits and an RBI. Scott Betterton pitched a masterful 6 innings to gain the WIN. Scottie Wirth pitched the final inning to receive the Save. The win clinched the Vikings a West Division Title. Game 2 Vikings lost 5-6 in 9 Innings of the second game. Will Edwards, Tanner Davis, Conner Miracle, Blake Bohnsack all had 2 hits. Nathan Struve, Scottie Wirth, Davis, and Miracle each had a double. Blake Bohnsack pitched 5 innings allowing 4 runs, but none were earned. Scottie Wirth came in relief and pitched 3 strong innings, but received the loss. The Vikings still have a chance to win the overall conference title as they have 4 losses and have completed their conference season. Western Dubuque has 3 losses and plays Marion on Tuesday to determine the champion. V-S needs Marion to win 1 of 2 games for the Vikings to tie for the overall crown and for Marion to win 2 games for V-S to earn an outright title. See the Viking schedule/stat page HERE.