With just two seniors on the squad this season the Northwood-Kensett baseball team will have to rely upon a mix of experience and youth throughout the season and it was a senior and a freshman that helped lead the Vikings over CAL-Downs Thursday in Northwood.

Senior Jordan Reindl drove in three runs, including what proved to be the game-winner in a 10-9 victory and freshman Dylan Nitcher came on in relief to pick up the win.

With Northwood-Kensett up 8-6 in the fourth, Reindl connected for a solo shot to pad the Vikings lead and later in the sixth he hit a deep double down the left field line to score Spencer Capitani as Northwood-Kensett picked up its first win of the season.

“He’ll do that off and on all year,” said Vikings head coach Mike Reindl of Jordan’s home run. “He’ll pick a good pitch and hit it hard and that’s what we want out of him.”

Sophomore Jacob Katcher also struck for a home run, a two-run blast in the second inning that helped spark a four-run inning.

Nitcher came on in the fourth in a tight spot with four runs already across the plate for the Cadets, but he set down the next two hitters on called third strikes and cruised until the seventh.

In the top of the seventh CAL started a threat with a leadoff double and Nitcher hit the next batter. That brought on Reindl to save the game. He retired the next batter on a fielder’s choice, but Justin Fitz hit a grounder to short that short hopped Capitani and dribbled into the outfield to score both runs.

Nitcher finished the game with seven strikeouts and allowed just one run on two hits.

“Dylan’s given me two great nights of pitching,” Reindl said. “He comes out and throws strikes — he’s just steady.”

The Cadets had just five hits in the game, but took advantage of nine walks and a number of wild pitches and passed balls.

Reindl said he expects his team to struggle in the field at times, but how the team responds to mistakes will make the difference.

“These young kids gotta understand that we’re going to make mistakes,” he said. “We gotta keep hitting the ball, we gotta keep scoring runs because we’re going to have problems defensively.”

Northwood-Kensett 10, CAL 9

CAL 202 300 2 —  9 5 1

Northwood-Kensett 440 101 x — 10 8 3

WP — Dylan Nitcher 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K