North Carolina High School Athletic Association baseball history occured Wednesday at Viking Field, in Cameron, as Union Pines set the new state record for most home runs hit by a team in a single game.

The Vikings hit 11 homers in the 16-9 nonconference win against East Montgomery. The double-digit dinger tally by Union Pines broke the previous record of 9 home runs in a game originally set in 1983 by East Wake in a 17-2 win versus Apex, and matched in 1987 by Richmond County, in a 14-1 win versus West Robeson. Click here to see the state record book.

East Montgomery also had two homers in Wednesday’s ballgame as the game’s grand total of 13 round trippers broke the previous NCHSAA state record of 10 home runs in a game by two teams (Athens Drive 8 home runs, Apex 2; Athens Drive 18-17 on April 24, 2003.)

Four different Vikings had multiple homers in the game and seven of Union Pines' 11 homers were solo shots. Nic Collins and Justin Allred each had three blasts for Union Pines, while Seth Breasseale and Gabe Gonzalez each had a pair of long balls. Carson Kelly also went deep for Union Pines. Matthew Reynolds had a two run shot for the visiting Eagles, as did freshman Trevor Wilson.

Allred got the record-setting home run derby started with a monster shot over the fence in right center.

In his second at-bat Allred left the yard again, this time sending a three-run homer to center to make the score 4-0 in favor of Union Pines in the bottom of the second. Two batters later Breasseale and Kelly went back-to-back to build the Vike lead to 6-0.

Allred led off the bottom of the fourth with his third homer of the night. Collins and Breasseale directly followed suit as the Vikings went back-to-back-to-back. In the top of the fifth, Gonzalez led the inning of with the first of his two jacks on the night. Then after Allred doubled for his fourth hit of the game, Collins blasted a moon shot to right center that plated two runs.Both Collins and Gonzalez went yard again in the sixth inning to round out the Vikings home run total.

The eleven home runs nearly doubled a Union Pines baseball school record the team set last week in a 17-2 victory against Overhills that saw the Vikes hit six home runs.

With the victory, the Vikings are now 13-4 on the season. Currently alone atop the Cape Fear Valley Conference standings with a mark of 7-1, Union Pines returns to the diamond Friday in a 7 p.m. league battle against Westover at Viking Field.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

EM 0 0 2 0 4 1 2 9 5 1

UP 1 5 0 3 3 4 X 16 16 5

Batting Stats

EM – HR: Reynolds, Wilson; RBI: 2 Reynolds, 2 Wilson; Team LOB: 7

UP – 2B: Keaton Thomas; HR: 3 Allred, 3 Collins, 2 Breasseale, 2 Gonzalez, Kelly; RBI: 5 Allred, 5 Collins, 3 Gonzalez, 2 Breasseale, Kelly.

WP: Breasseale

LP: Avery Johnson