Sports : Vikings win two the hard way; come from behind twice to sweep Benton

Darrin Charlier pictched for the Vikings in Game 2.

Gunner Tranel watches as ball four bounces in the dirt during the second game against Benton.

Darrin Charlier winds up as he tries to slow down the Benton offense.

Kody Seaton was the starter for the Vikings in Game 1.

Taylor Leyden won Game 1 for V-S and pithed in Game 2. He and Coach Struve discuss strategy.

The Vinton-Shellsburg baseball team improved its record to 6-1 Monday night with a sweep of Benton Community in Vinton.

But the Vikings did it the hard way, falling behind in both games.

Three walks followed by a double and a home run gave Benton a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning of the first game. But the Vikings tied the game in the bottom of the sixth and won it on a bases-loaded squeeze bunt single by Phillip Close in the bottom of the seventh. The bunt scored Clint Ferguson, who led off the inning with a walk. 

In the second game, the Vikings overcame 15 walks to score an 8-7, eight-inning win. 

Down 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Vikings came back to tie the game. Again the bases were loaded with Phillip Close at the plate; this time he was hit by a pitch, forcing in the tying run. 

The Bobcats scored two in the top of the eighth, and quickly got two outs in the bottom of the inning. 

But between two strikeouts, Nolan Edwards walked. Clint Ferguson hit a screaming line drive that bounced off of the third baseman's glove to continue the rally. Matt DeVries got a hit to score Edwards, bringing up Gunner Tranel with two outs and the Vikings behind, 7-6.

Tranel hit a single scoring Ferguson; Coach Jim Struve sent DeVries home from third, he slid into home as the ball bounced too high for the catcher to make the tag, giving the home team an 8-7 victory.