The Valle Catholic Warriors closed out the regular season in style with three wins this week to move their record to an impressive 28-4 on the year. They have now won four straight after crushing Cape Central 10-1 on Monday before taking out the Ste. Genevieve Dragons a couple hours later 15-1. Then on Tuesday they out-slugged the North County Raiders 10-8 to send them into the District Tournament with their bats humming.
The Tigers didn’t have a chance in the week’s opener, as Valle put up eight runs in the first two innings. The Warriors took advantage of some defensive miscues to push the initial run across the plate in the first and then a Clayton Drury RBI single made it 2-0. Then the second inning happened. Valle immediately loaded the bases and then back to back walks by Grant Fallert and Isaac Viox plated two more before Jackson Fowler drove in another two with a single to left. Drury then chased him home with a two-run double to make it 8-1 Warriors.
Valle got an RBI single from Viox and an RBI double from Fallert to make it 10-1 and close the book on the Tigers. Fallert was on the mound in this one and dazzled with five innings without an earned run and struck out nine against just one walk.
Drury was the big hitter with a 2-for-4 effort and three RBI, but Fowler and Fallert each knocked in a pair as well. Viox scored three runs and Fallert swiped three bases.
On that same day, Valle would take on the Dragons of Ste. Gen and this one was even more lopsided. The Warriors struck early and often, and kicked it off with a half dozen runs in the first. Chase Fallert started the scoring with an RBI double, Valle worked a ton of walks and Carson Tucker plated a pair with a bases-loaded single.
Valle would add four more in the third before cranking out another five in the fifth, and this one was was in the books at 15-2. Viox and G. Fallert each had three RBI and the latter swiped another three bags. Tucker and Alex Viox each drove in two and Rylan Fallert walked four times and scored three runs.
C. Fallert was on the mound and got the win with four sharp innings. He allowed just one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out three.
The next game was a much closer contest, as the Warriors had a chance to get revenge on the team that knocked them out of the MAAA Tournament last week. The North County Raiders came to town and struck first with three runs in the top of the second, likely stirring up some bad memories. But the Warriors persevered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie it up. The runs came courtesy of a Drury two-RBI double and a R. Fallert sac fly.
Valle would take the lead in the next inning by leaning on Drury again, as he came through with an RBI triple. The Raiders weren’t going to go quietly though. They retook the lead with three more runs in the top of the fourth and suddenly were up 6-4. The Warriors had enough of all this back and forth though, so they just went ahead and dropped a six-burger on North County in the bottom of the fourth. C. Fallert had a big RBI single and I. Viox drove in a pair on a liner to center. G. Fallert and Drury had RBI singles in the inning as well.
North County was able to pick up two more in the sixth, but that was as close as they would get. Valle hung on to win 10-8 and move to 28-4 on the season. Drury had a huge game with three hits and four RBI, and I. Viox loomed large as well with a 2-for-3 effort that included three runs scored, two steals and a pair of RBI. Three other players drove in runs for the Warriors as well.
Preston Lurk got the start and the win, but was plagued by some untimely defensive miscues. He allowed eight runs, but only two of them were earned. Cannon Wolk was perfect, retiring the final four batters in order to earn the save.
Valle will look to keep the streak alive next week in the District Tournament. Future opponents should be concerned, as this team can do it all.
