Panthers slip to Vikings

Submitted by admin on Tue, 04/15/2008 - 16:13

By: LANCE REED

Sports Editor

The Opelousas Catholic Vikings found a way to derail the hot Pine Prairie Panthers. The Vikings took a 5-3 victory and knocked the Panthers to 7-3 in district and 17-11 overall.

The Vikings got two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Back-to-back singles and an error led to two runners crossing the plate.

The Vikings added one more run in their next two trips to the plate and held a 4-0 lead.

The Panthers cut into the lead in the top of the fourth frame. Zack Blood and Ashton Dupre walked with one out. Both runners crossed the plate on a double from Robert Vidrine.

Pine Prairie made it a 4-3 ball game in the top of the sixth inning. Dupre singled and made his way to third on a single from Jonathan Fontenot. Dupre would later cross the dish on a passed ball.

Up by only a run, the Vikings knew they needed to pick up an insurance run. They grabbed one in the bottom of the inning. With one out, an error got the leadoff man on base. A double from Matt Hebert pushed the run across the plate, making it a 5-3 ball game.

Pine Prairie got a runner on in the top of the inning. With two outs, leadoff man Bryant Firmin walked. However, he was not able to cross the plate as the Panthers fell.

The loss puts Pine Prairie in second place behind the Westminster Crusaders. The Crusaders are sitting on top of the district standings with an 8-2 record. The Panthers are second, with the Vikings in third place with an 8-4 record. Sacred Heart is in fourth place at 5-5.

While the first and second place teams automatically make the playoffs, the rest of the district has to hope to receive a bye. The baseball playoff seeding meetings do not take place until the end of April.