Vinton County tops Alexander 21-6, snaps home winning streak

Vinton County did not just beat Alexander, it broke the game open with a season-high 21 runs, a lopsided surge that signaled the Vikings may be finding their swing after a slow start to the spring.

The 21-6 win on Monday, April 13, in Albany stood out for more than the score. MaxPreps called it Vinton County’s highest-scoring game of the season, a sharp turn from the Vikings’ previous outing, when the offense managed just one run. That kind of swing matters in a short high school baseball season, especially for a Vinton County team trying to steady itself in conference play across southeast Ohio.

Jase Moore gave the Vikings a firm foundation on the mound. The pitcher and utility player struck out six batters over three innings while allowing one earned run, two hits and no walks. That effort kept Alexander from clawing back once Vinton County’s bats started to separate the game.

The result also ended a long run of home-field success in the series. The home team had won every meeting between Vinton County and Alexander since May 12, 2022, until the Vikings overturned that pattern with the 21-6 victory. For Alexander, the loss dropped the team to 3-6. Vinton County improved to 2-3.

The timing was notable for both programs. Vinton County’s schedule showed the game as an away TVC matchup at Alexander, and the Vinton County Local School District athletics page lists the schools meeting again later in the season in McArthur. Alexander was slated to face Nelsonville-York on Wednesday, April 15, while Vinton County was scheduled to take on rival Meigs the same day.

For Vinton County, the performance offered a clear sign that the offense can still take over a game when it clicks. After a one-run showing in the previous game and an uneven first stretch of the season, a 21-run outburst is the kind of result local fans will remember if the Vikings use it as a springboard.