The Cardinal Gibbons baseball team smoked Union Pines Thursday afternoon in Raleigh to earn a 10-0 mercy-rule victory and thwart the Vikings’ eight-game win streak.

With the win 3-A Cardinal Gibbons (7-5) completed a two-game sweep of the nonconference regular season series.

For Union Pines the loss was the first in nine games as the Vikes' record moved to 8-3 on the season.

The homestanding Crusaders got all the runs they would need with a single tally in bottom of the first. Gibbons then posted a five-spot in the second frame and plated three in the third to grab a 9-0 lead, before scoring a run in its half of the fifth to bring the game to a close.

Winning pitcher Tyler Pickard tossed a one-hitter in the five-inning contest, while striking out six batters without a walk. Vike starter Seth Breasseale was saddled with the loss.

Union Pines closes the week tonight with a 3-A Cape Fear Valley Conference clash against the Westover Wolverines at 7 p.m. in Fayetteville. The Vikings currently sit atop the league standings with a CFVC mark of 5-0