PCHS Vikings Fall Short in Three-of-Four Games by One Run

On Tuesday, April 15th, the Vikings (5-9, 0-4 11A) welcomed the Trojans of Collinwood to “The Ballpark in Linden” for Senior Night as the Vikings recognized five seniors: Colby Ary, Jade Eccher, Aiden Hinson, Zane Noel, and Tyler Sullivan. In the first two innings, neither team could get going like the game down in Collinwood. However, in the top of the third inning, the Trojans got back-to-back singles, a sac bunt moved the runners up, a ground out, hit by pitch that loaded the bases, and a single that scored two to make it 3-0 Collinwood after three. In the fourth, the Vikings defense made an error after a leadoff double and after four innings up play, Collinwood led PCHS 4-0. In the fifth, the Vikings defense once again came away with an error that scored a run and it led to another run to make it 5-0. Then in the bottom half, Mercer got a single, Sellers walked, Collinwood intentional walked Ary, but a passed ball came on one of the balls that scored McFadden and the score was 5-1. Then a ground out by Noel made it 5-2 and a error on a hard hit ball by Marrs got the Vikings back in the game trailing 5-3 after five. Nothing happened for either team in the sixth but in the seventh, a single and a ground out got two more runs on the board for Collinwood as PCHS trailed 7-3 heading to the bottom half of the inning. Sellers led off with a single, Ary was hit by a pitch, and Noel hit a ground ball to the shortstop who threw the ball away and the Vikings trailed 7-4. Then Marrs comes up and gets a bloop hit to drop and the Vikings trailed 7-5. Eccher comes up and gets a line drive to center to fall and the bases were loaded. Brody Coblentz came up with a fielder’s choice to score Noel and the Vikings trailed 7-6 with the bases loaded and one out. However, that was all the Vikings could do as they struck out and grounded out to end the ballgame and the Vikings once again fell by a run score 7-6.

Stats: Jake Mercer- (2-for-3, Walk), Rhyder Sellers- (1-for-3, Walk), Ryan Marrs- (1-for-4, RBI), Jade Eccher- (1-for-4), Brody Coblentz- (0-for-1, RBI), Colby Ary- (0-for-2, Walk, HBP), Zane Noel- (0-for-3, 2 RBI’s, Walk), Javon McFadden- (0-for-3, HBP).

On Thursday, April 17th, the Vikings (5-10) traveled to Bruceton to take on the Tigers. In the first, Mercer started out the game with a single and Mercer stole both second and third and Sellers was able to get an RBI ground out to make it 1-0 PCHS. Ary single, Noel got on due to a error but that was it in the first for the Vikings as they led 1-0. But in the bottom of the first, an error, single, double, and another single scored four Tigers and after one, Bruceton led 4-1. The Vikings did nothing in the top of the second but the Tigers added another run thanks to an error and Bruceton led 5-1 after two. In the top of the third, the Vikings started to claw back as Eccher got a two-out single and Casey Garner got an RBI double that scored Eccher and the Vikings trailed 5-2 after three. In the fourth inning, Sellers got a double and Ary scored him to make it 5-3 Bruceton. But the bottom of the fourth was a big back breaker for the PCHS as Bruceton scored five runs in the inning to lead 10-3. Garner got another RBI scoring Eccher but after five, PCHS trailed 10-4. In the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers scored one more run and the Vikings fell on the road 11-4 to Bruceton.

Stats: Javon McFadden- (2-for-3), Casey Garner- (2-for-4, 2 RBI’s, Double), Rhyder Sellers- (2-for-4, RBI, Double), Colby Ary- (2-for-4, RBI), Jade Eccher- (1-for-3, Walk), Brody Coblentz- (1-for-4, Double), Jake Mercer- (1-for-4), Ryan Marrs- (0-for-2, HBP, Walk)

Then on Friday, April 18th, the Vikings traveled to eastern Maury County to take on the Culleoka Warriors. In the first, neither team could get anything going but in the bottom of the second inning, after an error and a single, another single scored the first run and Culleoka led 1-0 after two. In the third, Marrs got a single, Eccher walked, and Brody Coblentz scored Marrs to tie things up 1-1 after three. In the fifth inning, the Vikings added on as Noel got an RBI single and Ary scored on a passed ball and PCHS led 3-1. However, the Warriors came back with three runs on a sac fly, single and another single and Culleoka regained the lead 4-3 after five. In the sixth, Sellers tied things up 4-4 with an RBI double to left. Then back-to-back walks brought up Eccher who had a single that scored Sellers and the Vikings led 5-4. Back came Culleoka as they were able to get an RBI single and tie things up 5-5 after six. In the seventh, the Warriors were able to get runners on and with two outs the Warriors walked it off and beat PCHS by yet another one run game 6-5.

Stats: Jade Eccher- (2-for-3, RBI, Walk), Rhyder Sellers- (1-for-2, RBI Double, 2 Walks), Ryan Marrs- (1-for-2, 2 Walks), Brody Coblentz- (1-for-4, RBI), Zane Noel- (1-for-4, RBI), Jake Mercer- (1-for-5), Javon McFadden- (0-for-2, 2 Walks)

The PCHS Vikings (6-11, 1-4, 11A) took on the Frank Hughes Lions last Wednesday, April 23rd at “The Ballpark in Linden.” In this game, the Vikings only had four hits but they walked 15 times and were hit by a pitch 7 times. The Lions, however, got on the board first thanks to walks but in the bottom half of the inning, the Vikings were able to tie it up. Then in the third inning, the Vikings scored 14 runs and 4 runs in the fourth to pull away and PCHS won 19-3.

Stats: Javon McFadden- (0-for-0, 2 Walks, 2 HBP, 3 RBI’s), Landon Bates- (0-for-0, 4 Walks, 2 RBI’s), Ryan Marrs- (0-for-0, 2 Walks, 2 HBP’s, 2 RBI’s), Colby Ary- (2-for-3, Triple, Walk, 2 RBI’s), Brody Coblentz- (1-for-3, 3 RBI’s, HBP), Jake Mercer- (1-for-4, Walk, 3 RBI’s), Rhyder Sellers- (0-for-2, HBP, 2 Walks, 2 RBI’s), Jade Eccher- (0-for-2, HBP, Walk, 2 RBI’s), Zane Noel- (0-for-2, 2 Walks)

On Thursday, April 24th, the Vikings traveled to Clifton to take on Frank Hughes for the last game of the 2025 regular season. The Vikings bats were cold but Jake Mercer kept the Lions at bay as PCHS and the Lions got to the sixth inning with FHS lead 2-0. However, the game was called due to rain that started to pour down. The Vikings had chances to tie or take the lead but every hard hit ball was right at someone. PCHS will be the 3 seed in the District 11A Baseball Tournament this week as they were to take on the Collinwood Trojans yesterday at 7:00 p.m. at Waynesboro Sports Plex. Their next game will tomorrow, May 1st.