Vikings beat Sidney in last at-bat

 AVOCA (July 6) -- With district baseball right around the corner, AHSTW found a way to win a tight game it nearly let slip away here Monday night versus Sidney.
 After the Cowboys tied the score with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, the Vikings responded with some effective small ball in the bottom of the seventh and prevailed 5-4 when Joey Goins scored on a walk-off throwing error.
 Seniors Clayton Akers and Sam Porter pitched a combined five-hitter with nine strikeouts and AHSTW stole six bases (three by Goins) in improving to 4-4 overall.
 The Vikings also beat Griswold 15-0 on Wednesday night as a final tune-up for Saturday’s Class 2A district quarterfinal vs. Treynor (at Clarinda).
 “We’re going to be better because of (this) game,” said AHSTW coach Jason Holst following Monday’s win. “We played through (adversity).”
 Relieving Akers in the fourth, Porter retired the first six batters he faced in relatively easy fashion but ran into trouble in the sixth after hitting leadoff batter Leighton Whipple. Whipple was later thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on Garett Phillips’ single, but Cole Stenzel’s two-out RBI double cut the margin to 4-3.
 The Cowboys threatened to have a bigger inning in the seventh after two walks and a Kyle Beam single filled the bases with nobody out. Porter, though, settled down and retired the next three batters - including an Akers-to-Joel Sampson tag out at the plate - and might have escaped unscathed if not for a run-scoring wild pitch that extended the game.
 Goins, who had already scored the first run of the night after drawing a walk and stealing two bases in the second inning, served a single to right field leading off the bottom of the seventh and quickly stole second.
 Lucas Young, batting eighth, then put down a perfect sacrifice bunt in front of home plate. Goins over-rounded third on the play and was in danger of being tagged out, but the first baseman’s throw sailed wide and Goins was able to trot home with the winning run.
 Brody Langer, Porter, Akers, Joey Cunningham and Goins each hit a single for AHSTW. The Vikings’ four RBI all came on productive outs - ground balls by Nick Denning, Porter and Akers and a Young sacrifice fly - as they showed an ability to manufacture runs.