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Batten strong vs. Vikings

Pitches Big Reds past Ripley

Photo by: Jay W. Bennett Parkersburg’s Jordan Batten, pictured here working during a rainy first inning on Monday at Bennett Stump Field, pitched a complete game as the Big Reds held off visiting Ripley, 5-3.

PARKERSBURG — Ripley freshman Davis Haynes posted a quality outing, but Parkersburg’s Jordan Batten scattered eight hits in a complete-game effort here Monday at Bennett Stump Field inside City Park as the host Big Reds held off the Vikings, 5-3.

Ripley, which dropped to 9-10 and returns to action at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Jackson County rival Ravenswood, needed a win to secure a regular-season sweep of PHS and in the process secure at least one home sectional game.

That didn’t turn out to be the case as the Big Reds of skipper Alan Burns took advantage of a Viking error in the second to score four unearned runs against Haynes, who was lifted in the fifth after he surrendered a leadoff stand-up double to Batten.

“Jordan was really under control tonight,” noted Burns, whose club will carry a 6-7 record into a 5 p.m. game Wednesday back at City Park versus Spring Valley. “That’s the best he’s thrown.

“It may have been his best game ever, not dominating-wise, as he has been in a few games, but today he was mentally into the game and never got out of it. He did a nice job.”

Haynes got some defensive help out of the gate when third baseman Dane Petersen had an inning-ending 5-3 double play on a ball hit by Big Red Nolan Brace in the first.

However, an error extended the Big Reds’ four-run second and put head coach Shane Casto’s Vikings in rally mode the rest of the evening.

Batten singled to start it and was promptly replaced by courtesy runner Kyle Moore. After catcher Colby Wagner reached on an error, James Hickel pinch-ran for him. After first baseman Max Anderson, who doubled in the fifth, coaxed a free pass to load the bases, Tyler Cancade had an RBI sacrifice fly. With two outs, red and white leadoff hitter T.J. McIntosh hit a two-run double to left. Brace later added an RBI infield single.

“For a freshman being able to come in and do what he’s done for us, that’s big,” Casto said of Haynes. “He was getting what we wanted, pitching to soft contact.

“We just haven’t been making the plays. We just couldn’t seem to get that big hit when we needed it.”

PHS’ only other tally came in the fifth after Batten’s two-bagger. Moore scored for the second time on another Cancade sacrifice fly.

Ripley, which stranded eight runners with five in scoring position, actually led 1-0 after plating a run in the top of the second. Gage Songer, who worked two frames of relief, reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on Haynes’ RBI single to left.

The Vikings didn’t score again until the sixth when Songer walked and courtesy runner Isaac Robertson went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Josh Carte’s RBI single.

Parkersburg’s defense tried to make things interesting in the top of the seventh, but the Vikings managed just one run. JT Kemp, who finished 2 for 4 with a stolen base, singled to right and scored on an error.

Batten allowed just one earned run while walking two and punching out a pair.

Ripley’s sixth inning was cut short when Anderson made a diving catch at first in the dirt on a ball hit by Gavin Blankenship, which resulted in a double play when Anderson fired to shortstop Kam Mace to force Carte at second.

Big Red Hayden Morris finished 2 for 3 with a stolen base.

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