---

Coach James Strommen's Pecatonica Vikings split a doubleheader Friday with the visiting Highland Cardinals, losing game one of the twinbill 7-4 at Blanchardville's McKellar Park - but the Vikes later regrouped to take the nightcap 8-4.
Pecatonica was rained out Monday in a scheduled game at Argyle and will now play a doubleheader against coach Chuck Bredeson's Orioles in Blanchardville Monday night, May 19 beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Highland 7 Pecatonica 4
In a game one win, coach Terry Cool's Cardinals were out hit by Pecatonica 7-6 but five errors proved costly for the Vikings to go along with seven walks being issued by three Pecatonica pitchers.
The combination of free passes and errors - provided plenty of scoring opportunities for the visiting Cardinals who scored three runs in the first inning and added three in the fourth and one in the fifth on their way to a three-run victory.
Highland pitcher Austin Yager kept Pec batters off balance, struck out 10, walked five and gave up a pair of earned runs to earn the victory. He was relieved by teammate John Linscheid and Andrew Wolf who both turned in one inning stints on the mound and who combined to strike out five and walked three, while allowing just two hits.
Chase Norton started and took the loss for Pec, allowing two hits, walking 4 and he fanned 4.
He was relieved by lefty Tyler Hodgson who walked 2, fanned 5 and allowed 3 hits.
Kyle Kleppe hurled one frame, walked 1, fanned 1 and allowed 1 hit.
Hodgson was a team-best 2x4 for the Vikings and he drove in a pair of runs.
Bailey Bodenstein was 2x4, blasted a first-inning 3-run home run and he drove in four runs in propelling Highland to victory.
Hodgson drove in Brooks Chandler in the third inning for a Pec run but the Cards countered with three runs of their own to start off the fourth inning, in a barrage fueled by three Pecatonica walks, a fielder's choice grounder, and a single, followed a clutch two-run single from Yager.
Kleppe, Dalton James and A.J. Hendrickson all had singles in the fourth frame for Pec - and Hodgson and Brooks Chandler plated runs in the sixth.
"There's little doubt we helped them and the walks and errors that we committed were costly," said Strommen.
Pecatonica 8 Highland 4
Righthanded senior hurler Lucas McKeon was dominating in the early evening against Highland batters and the senior fireballer struck out 19 opposing hitters in the game two victory by Pecatonica.
Drew Schliem was a team best 4x5 with a double and triple and RBI and Kleppe was close behind with a 3x4 plate outing for Strommen's team.
Hodgson and Kleppe had run- scoring singles in the third inning and a bases-loaded walk to Gavin Burdick pushed across another run.
Schliem added an RBI triple in the seventh inning for the victors.
McKeon held the Cardinals to only two base hits.
"Lucas was overpowering from the start and was in control throughout the game," said Strommen.
Riley Crapp took the game two loss for Highland. He worked into the third inning, struck out three and walked three, while allowing four base hits. Linscheid tossed three and two thirds innings, struck out seven, gave up one base on balls, and allowed three hits.
Teammate Nick Michek tossed one inning, gave up one hit, and walked one, on an evening of baseball action that began at 4:30 and lasted until after the 10 o'clock hour - as fans get their more than their money's worth in a Friday night double-dipper in the always interesting Six Rivers Conference baseball race.
Pecatonica plays a doubleheader again Friday, May 2 when the Vikings will host Benton-Shullsburg at 4:30 p.m. and the Vikes travel to Albany Tuesday, May 6.
Highland also has a full slate of games as they go to Black Hawk for a twinbill Friday, hosts Cassville Monday and Benton/Shullsburg Tuesday.