Adam Harward pitched the Vikings baseball team to its third consecutive win Tuesday, a 6-3 triumph over Overhills in Cape Fear Valley Conference play.

After allowing two runs off three hits his first inning of work, Harward settled down to pick up the complete game win. He scattered four hits through the final six innings while striking out six Jaguar batters.

"This was a really important one for us to keep our momentum," said Harward, who threw 109 total pitches. "On a cool night like this, I give all the credit to my teammates. Location is not going to be what it would for me on a warm day and my defense really stepped it up. They made all the plays and that was the key factor in this win."

The Viking defense did not commit a fielding error in the game.

"On our current winning streak, run support has been the biggest factor," said Harward. "Up on the hill working with a three-run lead is a lot easier than being down three, which had been the case prior to our last three games."

Union Pines' offense tallied 11 hits, including four doubles and four sacrifices on the night.

Senior Todd Collins got Union Pines on the scoreboard in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly to center.

Union Pines scored twice in the top of the third frame to grab a 3-2 lead.

The Vikings extended the lead to 5-2 in the third on RBI hits by Terry Burge and Justin Blackburn.

"Everyone is starting to come together and starting to put the ball in play real well," Blackburn said. "We have been practicing hard and everybody is taking nice rips in B.P. so everybody is on it now. It feels good to bounce back but that is the type of team we are. We may lose a few games and get down but we always fight back and here we are going into the second half of the conference season 3-0 and it feels good.

In the sixth inning Blackburn gave his team an insurance run on a one-out sac-fly to center in his last at-bat.

"Everybody really has their heads in the right place now," said Blackburn. " I just hope we can keep this thing rolling."

With the win the Vikings are now 3-5 in CFV play and 5-7 overall. Union Pines played host to league foe Gray's Creek Thursday night in Cameron. Over the holiday weekend the Vikes will be participating in a three-day invitational tournament held by Douglas Byrd this Saturday, followed by games on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Contact F.W. Manning II at 639-5481 or by email at fwm2@nc.rr.com