Vienna baseball stays perfect with shutout win over Prairie Home

By: Alin Hett

Maries County Advocate Sports Writer

The Vienna Eagles kept their unbeaten streak alive Thursday night, blanking Prairie Home 10-0 at home behind strong pitching, timely hitting and a little help from their youngest teammate.

After the first inning, it was clear the Eagles had the best bat boy around. Nine-year-old Cody Wulff, whose two older brothers suited up for Vienna, took the role for the second time in his early career.

“This is my second time doing it, I did it in the spring,” Wulff said. “It’s fun and I want to keep doing it.”

Once the game began, the spotlight shifted to Cody’s brother, Wyatt Wulff, who turned in a perfect day at the plate. Wulff went 4-for-4, collecting four singles, including a line drive to deep left in the first inning that plated two runners.

“The first pitch is usually a fastball,” Wulff said with a grin after the game. True to his read, he drove the very first pitch he saw into the outfield to spark the offense.

Vienna broke the game wide open in the third inning rallying behind him, plating six runs in a that showed off the depth of their lineup. Caden Kelly and Mason Via each drew bases-loaded walks to bring home runs. Hunter Schwartze followed with a two-run single, while Jaiden Hayes and Dylan Long added RBI hits of their own.

Tasked with keeping Prairie Home’s bats in check was Evan Simmons, who tossed five shutout innings, scattering only three hits. He struck out five and walked just one, working efficiently and never letting Prairie find a rhythm.

Simmons’ effort gave Vienna exactly what they needed: control, pace and confidence. The Eagles’ defense backed him up cleanly, making the 10-0 shutout possible.

With the victory, Vienna improves to 4-0 on the season and now turns its attention to the AA Baseball Bash this weekend, where the Eagles will face Eugene at 4 p.m., on Friday and Crocker at 6 p.m.

Both of those games will be played in Eugene.

Saturday action will also be played at Eugene beginning with the fifth-place game at 10 a.m., followed by the third-place game at noon and the championship game at 2 p.m.

The Vienna JV Eagles played and pulled out a thrilling 2-1 victory in a game that came down to the final inning. Tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the third, Ace Helton delivered a game-winning single, sending his teammates and fans home happy.

Parker James also contributed to the win with a timely RBI, helping the Eagles build their slim lead. The game’s story, however, was the team’s aggressive and precise base running. Vienna stole a total of four bases, with Benton Haller swiping three on his own, keeping constant pressure on the opposing defense.

Defensively, the JV Eagles were as flawless as you could be, not committing a single error throughout the contest, a remarkable feat for any team.

On the mound, starter Brett Welschmeyer set the tone early. He pitched one inning, allowing zero hits while striking out three and walking two, giving Vienna just the boost they needed to take control.

The victory showcased the JV Eagles’ resilience and teamwork, combining clutch hitting, smart base running and strong defense in a game that had fans on the edge of their seats.

The games were umpired by David Hilton and Chandis Newell.

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