Maples gem, Grissom bomb fuel 10-0 Viking win

America Maples scattered two singles and struck out five Beavers
America Maples scattered two singles and struck out five Beavers

West Valley rode the two-hit, five-strikeout pitching of America Maples and a towering three-run, fourth-inning homer from Maddie Grissom to blank American River 10-0 in five innings Tuesday at Viking Field. 

The Vikings (5-1) got all the runs they would need in the home half of the first, pushing five runs across on two hits, three stolen bases and a three-base ARC error. Bianca Ceja had an RBI single folllowed by a run-scoring double from Dezmyre Cruz to highlight the frame.

Maples kept ARC (2-1) in check throughout, posting three-up-three-down innings in the third and fourth, getting all three second-inning outs on K's, and giving up only a pair of singles in the second and fifth. Maples struck out five Beavers for her second win of the season.

The Vikings scored two in the second, beginning with an Abigail Desa single that scored Emelia Araiza, who led off the inning with a walk. Isabella Gallegos doubled and then came home on an ARC throwing error on an Allie Whitfield grounder back to the circle. Grissom put the game away with her second HR of the season, a left-field blast that drove in Araiza and Desa, who had both reached on one-baggers.

Desa was 2-2 with two runs scored and an RBI to lead the WVC scorebook.

The Vikings host perennial Big 8 power Sierra (5-4) Friday. First pitch is 2:00pm.