Vikes out slug Oscoda to up winning streak to eight

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

The Vikings slugged out 37 hits in a sweep of Oscoda Tuesday to keep their season opening winning streak at eight. The girls won 14-3 and 17-13. That follows a pair of home wins last week against Alanson. Up next will be the North Star League opener at Hale and then to Rogers City for their annual tournament. In game one against Oscoda, Posen scored in every inning, including a six run fifth. Leanne Buczkowski was the winning pitcher (4 IN, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 W, 4 K?s), while Janice Ciarkowski tossed the final inning.

Both Buczkowski (3B, 3 RBI) and Ciarkowski (3 RBI) had three hits each. Paige Lewandowski was 2-for-3 (2B, 2 RBI), Cheryl Romel 2-for-3 (RBI), while Christina Bednarski was 2-for-4 with an inside-the-park homer. DOWN 5-1 after the first inning of game two, the Viking hitters started pounding the ball again with five runs in the second to take a lead they would never give back and three in the third.

With the score 10-9, the girls put an exclamation point on the win with a seven run seventh as part of a 23 hit attack. LeAnn Strzelecki was 4-for-6 (2 RBI), Bednarski 3-for-4 (3B, 3 RBI, 5 R), Buczkowski 3-for-5 (RBI), Anna Couture 3-for-5 (RBI), while Lewandowski was 3-for-5 (2 RBI). Romel, Lindsay Ponik and Ciarkowski all had two hits and two RBI each. Ponik went all seven innings (14 H, 7 ER, 3 W, 7 K?s) to get the win.

The two teams will do it all over again Saturday at 10 a

.m. in Rogers City. LAST THURSDAY, the Vikings swept overmatched Alanson-Littlefield. Buczkowski recorded a career high 11 K’s in a 9-1, game one win. She allowed only five hits on one walk.

Buczkowski was 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBI, while Ponik was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Ciarkowski (2 RBI) and Strzelecki (RBI) each had singles. Bednarski added a two RBI triple in the sixth. Emily Delekta also had a two RBI single in the fifth. The second game wasn’t much better for the visitors as the Vikings struck for eight runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 10-0, mercy shortened game.

Ponik went all five innings, giving up two hits and two walks, but struck out nine. Buczkowski was 2-for-2 with 2 RBI, while Strzelecki was 1-for-2 with 2 RBI. Bednarski did not register an at bat, as the 2008 first-team all-stater had four walks and three runs scored. Romel and Bednarski walked a combined 11 times in the twin bill. Monday’s games against Au Gres have been rescheduled for May 18. Johannesburg-Lewiston was taken off the schedule.