West Valley spotted Butte two 1st-inning, game-one runs and then, literally and figuratively, ran the Roadrunners out of Viking Field Saturday. The 12-2 and 9-1 run-rule games improved the state's top-ranked team to 20-0 heading into this week's Coast Conference opener with Monterey Peninsula.

Viking batters were an efficient bunch in both games, scoring 12 runs on nine hits (10 RBI) in the opener and knocking in all nine runs in game two on five hits. Viking pitchers paid the support forward by allowing just two hits in each game. Viking baserunners stole 11 bases, three in game one and eight in game two.

Trailing the Roadrunners 2-0 heading to the home half of the 1st in the opener, West Valley answered with four runs and would never trail again...in either game. The Viking 1st was highlighted by an Andrea DeJesus RBI-triple, a Jasmine Mixco RBI-double and an RBI-single from Alina Perez. West Valley made it 6-2 in the 2nd when DeJesus stole home and Rylee Gomez smashed a triple that knocked in Raylene Cruz. 10 Vikings batted in a five-run 3rd highlighted by a three-run triple from Gomez and Mixco's two-run single. Arbuckle singled and scored on an E9 to make it 12-2. A three-up, three-down Butte 5th ended it early.

After Butte had two hits in the top of the 1st, they would not get on base again. Sarah Habkirk spun 4.2 hitless, walkless, scoreless innings, striking out seven, to improve to 2-0 on the year. Gomez was 2-for-4 with five RBI, Mixco was 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs, while Arbuckle finished 2-for-3 with three runs and a stolen base, her 28th of the year. 

A four-run West Valley 3rd paced the late game. Leading 2-0, WVC loaded the bases on a Marissa Rodriguez HBP, an Arbuckle walk and a DeJesus single. The three didn't linger on base long thanks to a Mixco bases-clearing double to left-center that made it 5-0. Mixco then stole third and scampered home on a Brianna Chambers Lee SAC fly to left.

Butte picked up a run in the top of the 5th to make it a bit more interesting at 5-1, but the Vikings sent everyone home early with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Chambers Lee tripled to open the frame and came home on Ella Moser's RBI-groundout to short. Gabriella Diotalevy walked, stole second and advanced to third on Makayla Villapando's SAC fly to left. With two down, Rodriguez and Arbuckle singled, followed by a walk to DeJesus to load the bases. Leah Grifall's RBI-base-on-balls brought home Rodriguez to end it and move the Vikings to 20-0.

Mixco recorded four RBI, and Arbuckle, Chambers Lee and Rodriguez all scored two runs. Arbuckle stole two bases to move her to a state-leading 30. Diotalevi also heisted two bags. Ashlie Nakano improved to 7-0, giving up just a pair of singles (we promised her we wouldn't mention her two 5th-inning errors), while striking out two and issuing a pair of free passes.

Things get real for West Valley Thursday (3/6) against Monterey Peninsula (10-8) in the Coast opener. First pitch is 3:00pm and, as always, the game will be livestreamed on the WVC Athletics YouTube channel.