By DAN BISER
Sports Editor

CERRO GORDO - A 13-hit attack and the one-hit pitching of Stephen Nealy propeled the West Columbus Vikings to a 10- 0 Southeastern Conference baseball victory over visiting St. Pauls Tuesday night.

The game was halted in the fifth inning by the 10-run rule

The Vikings were coming off two consecutive losses, including a 9-4 conference setback last Friday at Red Springs.

The Vikings are tied for the conference lead with West Bladen (both with 7-2 records). They are vying for their third consecutive cosnference championship.

West Columbus, which will play host to East Bladen tonight at 7, holds a 13-7 season record.
Nathan Long and Timothy “Batman” Brown each had three hits to lead the Viking offense. Long Brown. Long, Brown, Cory Duncan and Bradley Cutrell each had a double for Coach Ricky Young’s Vikings, who took their second win of the season over the Bulldogs.

Nealy gave up a second inning single to S. Revels and a game-oping walk, but held the St. Pauls batting order in check the rest of the night. He finished with seven strikeouts.

“We’ve started getting our backs to the wall late in the season,” said Coach Young. “We have three conference games left and we feel like we have to win out to win the conference.

“With losses to Fairmont and Red Springs, our kids are finding out that you got to be ready every time out.”

The Vikings wasted little time getting on the board as Kenyarta Smith led off with a walk and moved to third on a double by Long. Smith scored on a ground-out to second by Duncan and Long scored on a double by Brown.

Singles by Matt Russell and Long along with two Bulldog errors helped bring hom two more runs in the second.

WCHS added a marker in he third when Nealy led off with a hit and Russell drove his second straight singe to tally courtesy runner Terrance Featherson.

Five straight fourth-inning hits - singles by Long, Duncan, Brown and Nealy, and Cutrell - brought home four more runs and chased SPHS starter Jason Carter from the mound. He was relieved by T. Maynor.

In the bottom of the fifth, Duncan rapped a two-out double and sprinted home moments later on a single to left field by Brown for a 10-0 an early ending to the game.

West Columbus, the 2006 state 1A runnerup, faced a big rebuilding job this season after losing seven key seniors to graduation.

“This group has worked hard and has come a long way this season,” Yound said.

After going against East Bladen tonight, the Vikings will play host to West Bladen Monday at 7 p.m., and they will conclude regular-season play on Tuesday at South Robeson, also at 7.

Carter, Maynor (6) and Oxendine; Nealy and Duncan.