NORTHWOOD — The Northwood-Kensett baseball team hosted Lake Mills Monday night in hopes of getting back on the winning path after a loss last Friday.

The Vikings were looking at a tall task with the Bulldogs, having only lost one game on the year thus far. Down by one run in the sixth inning, the Vikings were able to rally and one up the Bulldogs, holding on to a 4-3 victory.

Both teams started out slow at the plate with neither team scoring through the first three innings. The Bulldogs would be the first to get on the scoreboard with a run in the fourth inning. Sophomore Logan Prescott was able to get on base due to an error by the Vikings, and he was batted in by a single from sophomore Bennett Eaton.

Northwood-Kensett would answer right back with a run of its own in the next half inning. Junior Gavin Varner led off the inning with a deep double and he was followed by senior Colton Moretz, who crushed a double over the left fielders head to score Varner.

Lake Mills took the lead back in the fifth inning after  senior Alex Albert was walked and hit in by a RBI double from senior Gabe Irons.

Again, the Vikings responded  in the next half inning, tying the game at two runs each. Senior Garrett Thompson took a walk to start the inning; he was moved along by a single from sophomore Caden Schrage and came home after an RBI single from Brandon Varner.

The Bulldogs responded by taking another one-run lead in the sixth. Eaton reached on a single and was able to steal two bases before reaching home on a error by the Vikings.

Northwood-Kensett came back with the only two-run inning of the game, scoring on a sacrifice fly and after a Bulldog fielding error.

Freshman Cade Hengesteg led the inning off with a single, followed by a walk from freshman Isaac Renteria. Thompson would advance both of them with a sacrifice bunt and Hengesteg would score on a sacrifice fly from freshman Carter Severson.  Schrage would then reach on a throwing error, which also allowed Renteria to score.

After a 30-minute lightning delay, the Vikings needed to come out and record three outs to pull of the upset.

Freshman Ethan Tasker was up to the challenge as he came in as a relief pitcher after the delay. He put an end to the game after striking out the side and secured the victory for the Vikings.

Sophomore Mason Fritz started on the mound for Lake Mills. He  pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up four runs and striking out five. Irons came in relief to pitch one third of an inning, recording one strike out.

Senior Colton Moretz started for the Vikings, pitching 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and striking out nine batters. Schrage pitched one-third innings of relief ,and Tasker was awarded the save after pitching one inning striking out all three batters.

The Vikings move to 4-6 on the season and will play again on Wednesday against the Eagles  of West Hancock.

The Bulldogs fall to 10-2 and will host the Knights of Newman Catholic on Wednesday.