The Hayfield Vikings Friday had to come up with timely defense to hold off Lyle-Pacelli in a game on a nice spring day in Siebert Field on the University of Minnesota campus.

The field, home of the Gophers baseball team, was just opened this year and Hayfield and Lyle-Pacelli are the first high school teams to play on the field.

“It was unbelievable,” said Hayfield coach Kasey Krekling. “We had direct sun; it was a beautiful day — just an unbelievable facility.”

A game Hayfield won 11-9, but not without some drama.

The Vikings (2-4) had a chance to end the game early with the winning run on in the bottom of the fifth that would have triggered the 10-run rule, but LP got out of the inning and then made things tricky for Hayfield.

“All of a sudden our relief pitcher couldn’t throw strikes,” Krekling said. “Then things got interesting.”

But the Vikings held on with Jason Born getting the win going five innings and giving up five runs on six hits and walking six. Drew Streightiff rounded out the final 2-3 innings by striking out the final two batters.

At the plate, Cole Kruger was 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI.

JB Stackhouse was 2-for-3 with a double, one run and two RBI while Jacob Steiner, batting ninth, was 2-for-2 with a triple, two runs and two RBIs with a stolen base.

LP pitcher Daniel Bollingberg took the loss pitching five innings and giving up 11 runs while walking two and striking out four. He was also 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Jordan Hart was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI while Drew Chapek also had two RBIs.