The Vikings bats went quiet as they took a loss to ELAC with a final score of 7-2 on Thursday.
The Vikings had a slow start but played a great defensive game.
By the end of the third inning, the score was already 1-0, but plays between first baseman Max Ghiglieri and his teammates, second baseman Cross Stephens and outfielder Eshua Desai, helped keep the game close.
“I haven’t played first base since high school. Being put in the lineup and being put out there today was definitely an eye-opener and shows I can help from being anywhere on the field,” said Ghigleiri as a result of his performance at first base.
Although there was some strength in those plays, the Vikings were missing the overall chemistry that ELAC had.
Second Basemen Cross Stephens throws the ball to the first baseman in attempt to get a double play in the top of the first. (Brianna Apodaca)
“We’re all friends outside of baseball and I just feel like the on-field chemistry might have to be raised a little bit… we’re working on it,” said pitcher Sean Lovett, one of the few returners this season.
This year’s roster is primarily made up of incoming freshmen with only 12 returners including Lovett, this impact was visible in their performance.
“[We’re] Very new, yeah, that’s like we have mostly freshmen and a couple, a couple returning guys, but most of the time that shouldn’t matter, that stuff shouldn’t matter, we’re all ballplayers, so I feel like…we should all be together and have some fight,” Lovett speaks on the impact to the team’s fight during the game.
In the bottom of the sixth, Max Ghihlieri hits it out to center field receiving the RBI as base runner Cross Stephens scores LBCC’s first run of the game.
Despite a strong defense, ELAC’s batter Mahki Clark made first base on an error bringing home base runner Manny Ramirez and Felipe De Alba doubles, earning 2 RBI, bringing home base runner Clark and base runner Steven Segura.
Bottom of the 8th, the Vikings offense showed up scoring their second run.
Max Ghiglieri got another RBI that brought Stephens home in another successful Ghiglieri-Stephens play.
The final score of the game was 7-2.
The game was another offensively off game for the Vikings.
“I think we have to continue to put good bats together and, you know, pass the baton each at bat, make… each pitch, each bat, important, and it continues to develop in that way,” said assistant coach Josh Frye in terms of the steps needed to develop of the offense in the upcoming games.