GILROY -- No. 19 West Valley baseball batted around twice, scoring a program single-game record 30 runs to push itself over .500 and win its third-straight conference game. The Vikings (18-8, 4-3 Coast-South) have three one-run losses in conference play but for the most part have hit the ball extremely well. However, the opponents, the Gavilan Rams, were coming off a sweep against Cabrillo. But West Valley's offense did exactly what good teams are supposed to do, taking advantage of spotty defense from the Rams (11-15, 3-4 Coast-South) as six Vikings finished with multiple hits in a 30-12 victory.
The Vikings jumped on the board first against Gavilan starter Wyatt Barton. The righty, who threw six innings the last time the two teams faced off, allowed a walk to Parker Kristall to lead off the game. He proceeded to steal second and come home on an RBI single from Joey Damelio.
On the other end, Viking starter Bryce Berry rebounded from a nightmare outing against Hartnell with consistency on the bump, even with just a one-run lead. Berry struck out a pair in a scoreless first inning and mowed down the side in order in the second.
West Valley picked up some insurance in the third, coming with two outs when Kenji Colston knocked a two-out single into center to score Bobby Hill and Ryan Bays, who both had singles to get there. In the bottom half of the frame, Berry faced adversity for the first time with a couple of walks, but he coaxed a groundout from Lucas Gabbani to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth with two on, Bays mashed a 3-0 hanger off the fencing in right-center to score one as he cruised into second base with a double. Eric Altmark followed with an RBI groundout, and the Vikings led by four. But Gavilan turned on the gas in the bottom half, hitting back-to-back one-out doubles and a two-out single to bring the deficit to just four. It felt like a prime opportunity for the Rams to get back in the game, but Berry got Devin Aragon to pop up with two in scoring position to end the frame.
The Vikings created even more separation in the fifth. Max Ghiglieri singled to lead off the inning and moved up to second on a one-out passed ball, and a David Estrada single scored him. Damelio doubled to knock in Estrada, and after Jordan Montez struck out, Bays struck again, this time with his drive to right clearing the fences for a home run.
Gavilan's bottom of the fifth could have been a major turning point. The Vikings entered the inning on top, with a 9-2 advantage, but Brice Brunson allowed a two-out single and four straight walks to bring in a pair of runs. Enter Colin Melrose, who struggled against Hartnell, but entered in a huge spot and got Gavilan catcher Diego Flores to pop out, ending the inning with the Vikings up 9-4.
That momentum continued in the top of the sixth. West Valley's bats, which have really started to erupt of late, batted around. Bays, already with four hits included a double and a homer, hit his second home run of the day and his third over two games, converting with the bases loaded for his first collegiate grand slam.
The sophomore catcher Bays now has three four-hit games this season, all coming in his last four games started. He finished the day 5-for-5 with two homers, a double and seven RBI, and is now nine for his last ten with three home runs. Going into the eighth inning of Friday's game against Hartnell, the Bellarmine product had gone each of his 55 collegiate plate appearances without a home run. He now has three in his last six.
From there, it was smooth sailing for the Vikings, who also batted around in the seventh, tacked on five in the eighth and three more in the ninth. Winners of three straight in conference play for the first time this season, the Vikings return to Valhalla Park on Thursday to continue the three-game set.