By MIKE MONTFORT

Shortstop Blake Rambusch went 3-for-3 and knocked in three runs while four wildly effective Grayson pitchers combined on a four-hitter as the Vikings stymied Navarro, 6-1, Monday at Perry D. Graham Field.

Rambusch, a recent Auburn signee, also walked and stole a base for the Vikings, which won their third straight game -- second this season over Navarro – and improved to 9-3 overall. 

The Bulldogs saw their three-game winning streak end and were kept off balance by lefthanded starter Clayton Broeder and relievers Ethan Campos, Cole Canuteson and Brock Taylor who threw a total of 192 pitches, walking 12 and striking out 10. 

Coach Matt Podjenski's frustrated Bulldogs stranded 13 runners and left the bases loaded three times – in the first, fifth and eighth innings. They managed to capitalize in the eighth inning when they finally broke the shutout bid.  Catcher Dillon Flores scored from third on second baseman Weston Symes' single for that lone run.

Bulldog hits -- all singles -- were few and far between.  In addition to Flores and Symes, Alex Vergara and Tallon Heine had the other base hits.

Righthander Logan Letney and relievers Austin Ream, Riley Bauman and Jackson Braun scattered seven hits and struck out 13 Vikings.  Baumann (2.2 innings) and Braun (1.1) combined to strike out eight hitters and yielded just two hits during the final four frames.

Rambusch broke a scoreless tie during the third when he singled home designated hitter Ivan Webb, who had doubled. 

In the fifth, Rambusch drew a one-out walk and scored Grayson's second run after catcher Yanluis Ortiz reached on a two-base error.

In the Viking sixth, two bases-on-balls and two hit-batsmen helped to extend a four-run rally.  Rambusch delivered a two-run single and Webb's base hit brought home another.

Navarro is scheduled to play a three-game, non-conference series against Temple this weekend, weather permitting.  NC travels Friday to Temple to face the Leopards for a nine-inning single game at 2 pm Thursday.  The teams are pencilled in for a noon doubleheader here Saturday.

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