CERRO GORDO – The Southeastern 1A-2A Conference champion West Columbus Vikings closed their regular-season baseball schedule Thursday by disposing of the visiting West Bladen Knights 15-5 in five innings.

West Columbus will carry a 22-2 season record into Tuesday’s opening night of the state 1A playoffs when it will play host to Hobbton at 7. Coach Ricky Young’s Vikings completed Southeastern Conference play with an 11-1 record.

Over the past two seasons, the Vikings have a combined record of 43 wins and only eight losses. Last spring, West Columbus won the Waccamaw 2A championship while posting a 21-6 record. They advanced to second round of the state 2A playoffs where they lost to eventual state champion North Lenoir.

Winning pitcher John David White hit a bases-loaded triple and DeMichael Smith pounded a home run for the Vikings, who took charge with seven runs in the second inning. Ryan McCleney had three hits and White put his season pitching record at 8-0.

West Columbus enters the playoffs in search of its first state baseball championship since 1970 when it won the 2A title.

The Vikings lone conference loss came against Red Springs in a 1-0 decision. Their only other loss came against St. James High of Murrells Inlet, S.C.

WCHS is unbeaten on its homefield this season and has had two nine-game winning streaks.