In a baseball game that was expected to be a blowout, the Santa Monica Vikings (13-9, 4-0) pummeled the Inglewood (2-5, 2-2) Sentinels in a 18-0 rout to claim their fourth straight league victory at home Thursday afternoon.
Samohi head coach Kurt Schwengel stressed the importance of beating weaker teams in league play and said that the Vikings had the capacity to win.
“This is what we expect as a team when we play these guys,” said Schwengel. “Playing against Inglewood and Morningside are four games that we should always be able to win.”
The victory puts Samohi in a tie for first place in the Ocean League with Culver City High School (14-4, 4-0) with six league games left before facing each other at the end of the season.
The Vikings got what they expected from their pitching staff while pitching at home; shutout innings and plenty of strikeouts.
Vikings starter Eli Bieber and relief pitcher Ryan Barbarin combined for 16 strikeouts as they held the Sentinels to only two hits in the 18-0 win.
Samohi’s offensive explosion began in the bottom of the third inning when lead-off man Alex Turner stepped up to the plate.
Turner already had a base hit in the game prior to stroking a 1-1 pitch that he lofted into the gap in left center field giving him time to gallop his way around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
“Once I saw the ball reach the fence I knew that I could make it around the bases,” said Turner.
Consequently, Inglewood’s pitching unraveled in favor of the Vikings.
The Vikings whacked four singles in the inning, along with walking three batters in which two were hit by the pitch.
In total, five Samohi batters were hit in the game showing a clear indication that the Sentinels pitching staff was off against the Vikings.
By the end of the fourth inning, the Vikings held a healthy 12-0 lead and were in complete control of the game.
Turner finished his big day with two hits, two RBIs, a run, and a stolen base.
“I expect us to go 10-0 in our league games,” said Samohi pitcher Connor Greene. “We have the talent on this team to be capable to do that.”
Greene looks to take the mound in the Vikings next game against Palisades Charter High School (6-13, 2-3) in what should be an exciting cross town match-up Saturday at 1 p.m.
