West Valley bats were ablaze Saturday in Fremont, unleashing 17 hits, including seven for extra bases, in an important 12-5 win over Ohlone. The win was the third of the week for the Vikings over the Renegades, giving them a two-game lead in the Coast-South with five to play.

Holding a 3-1 lead through three, the Vikings (27-8, 13-2 Coast-South) caught fire with three runs in the fourth for a 6-1 advantage. Carmelo Rivera singled in Drew Dillehay, and Eric Altmark delivered a two-run single that brought home Kai Laxa and Rivera. The Renegades (28-7, 11-4) picked up a run in the 5th on a Viking double play to make it 6-2. Altmark came home on a passed ball in the 7th to increase the WVC cushion to 7-2. 

Rivera hit the first of his two RBI-doubles in the top of the 8th, and, after an Isaac Hawthrone run-scoring single drove in Rivera, the Vikings led 9-2. A two-run home run in the 8th from Ohlone's Paul Wagner made it 9-4, but the Vikings answered in the top of the 9th with another Rivera double that knocked in David Estrada and a two-run round-tripper from Colin Spear that brought home Laxa. The eight-run lead shrunk to 12-5 in the bottom of the 9th on a Zach Dawson solo shot.

Rivera was an incendiary 5-for-6 with four RBI and two runs. Altmark continued his late-season hot streak with a 4-for-5, two-RBI outing. Estrada and Kenji Colston each had two hits. Sebastian Buller took over for starter Julian Ito in the 4th inning and got his first win of 2025 in 1 2/3 innings of work.

West Valley hits the road for three crucial Coast contests this week. They head to Monterey Peninsula (19-15, 7-8) Tuesday (4/15), Hartnell (13-22, 4-11) Thursday (4/17) and Gavilan (9-26, 4-11) Saturday (4/19).