The Palo Alto High School baseball team beat Los Altos 6-2, Tuesday afternoon to take the lead in the three game series for the SCVAL championship. The Vikings took the lead in the first inning, when they scored their first two runs. In the bottom of the fourth they started a rally and scored three more runs.
Rohit Ramkumar (’13) took the mound to start for the Vikings in his first start of the season. He pitched five innings, throwing 3 strike outs and giving the Eagles only two hits.
“First start of the year, he’s earned it, and he’s the kind of guy that has said all year long give me the ball, give me an opportunity and he’s done a great job,” coach Erick Raich said.
After quickly ending the top of first inning, the Vikings sent Jack Witte (’12) out to bat replacing B.J. Boyd (’12) who is out with an injury. Witte got to first off a grounder over second base. Witte snuck by the pitcher and stole second when Alec Wong (’12) took the plate. Los Altos pitcher Luke Wiechec (’12) walked Wong soon after. A hesitation by Wiechec on Austin Braff’s (’12) bunt allowed Braff to make it to first and load the bases.
A bad pitch to Christian Lonsky (’12) allowed Witte to steal home and bring in the first run of the ball game. Although Lonsky struck out, the next batter John Dickerson (’12) got a walk to first loading the bases again. Another bad pitch to Clay Carey (’12) brought in Wong. The first inning ended with the Vikings up 2-0.
After another hitless inning, the Vikings took the plate again and managed to get a couple of players on base but unable to bring any home.
During the top of the third, the Eagles knocked off their first hit of the game with a double to deep right. After a high catch by Witte and a toss to Braff at second for a double play, Paly was back in control of the inning.
In the top of the fourth, a homerun by Wiechec put Los Altos on the score board. Ramkumar put a quick end to the Eagles celebration by striking out the next batter.
The Vikings started the bottom of the fourth with Justin Grey (’12) at the plate. Grey squeezed out a double when the Eagles first baseman failed to catch the ball. A bunt by Witte moved Grey to third. Braff got a walk to first and for the third time in the game the bases were loaded for the Vikings.
All the Vikings on base stole a base when Wiechec threw a bad pitch to Lonsky, bringing in Grey for the third Paly run. Witte ran on home soon after on Lonsky’s bunt. Dickerson was next to bat and although he struck out Braff stole home in all the commotion.
At the end of the fourth inning the Vikings were up 5-1.
The Vikings had a quick three outs in the top of the fifth with two ground outs and a pop out. The Vikings scored again when grey hit a single and was eventually hit in by Wong.
For the top of the sixth the Vikings put Danny Erlich (’14) on the mound. Erlich let up one hit which was then followed up by a double play. Paly followed up with a scoreless inning as well.
Paly switched it up again when Arun Varma (’12) went out to pitch in the seventh inning. Nolan O’Such (’12) was able to hit a homerun of Varma giving Los Altos another run.
After a successful first game against Los Altos, Raich is going to mix it up for game two.
“We’re going to go with [Kevin} Kannappan (’12) and then we’re going to throw Ben [Sneider] (’12) afterwards,” Raich said. “That’s the plan going forward.”
The Vikings will face the Eagles again this Thursday at Los Altos.
