By Travis Smola
Things are off to a rolling start for the Vicksburg varsity boys’ baseball team again in 2018.
In the team’s home opener against Three Rivers, weather conditions were cold but the bats were hot. The first game saw a stellar pitching performance by senior Adam Henderson. He gave up just two hits and had 11 strikeouts in the 6-0 win.
Henderson played a key role on offense too, scoring two runs. The double he hit in the third came just short of clearing the left field fence. After being quiet for the first part of the game, the bottom of the fifth is where the bats came alive and the Bulldogs scored four runs. In all, six different Bulldogs had hits in the first game.
“Swinging the bat like we did in both games was really good to see,” head coach Brian Deal said. “Early in the season, you have to be really happy with that.”
Things were even better in the second when senior Trevor Pryson smashed a ball over the right field wall for a three-run homer. The Bulldogs eventually took that game 6-2. There was one scary moment in the game when sophomore pitcher Parker Wilson got hit by a ball that was hit right back at him. But he was able to shake the blow off and finish the inning.
The team is 5-1 at the moment, its only loss coming on a split with Coldwater. The team also defeated visiting Cadillac 11-7 and 7-0. This year’s team returns more seniors than Deal has ever had at one time. Add in some new up-and-comers and the team has some serious depth. Deal expects them to be competitive in all their games and thinks they have a real chance at contending in the state tournament.
And for good reason, too. Last year the team lost to eventual state champion Stevensville Lakeshore in a dramatic 10-inning game at Regionals that could have gone either way.