MOUNT HOREB — There are new kids on the Northern Badger Conference block, but at least one resident isn't ready to relinquish space in the high-rent district.

Reedsburg, the defending conference champion, watched Mount Horeb fill up the bases on a chilly Tuesday night but came away relatively unscathed in a 7-2 victory over the up-and-coming Vikings.

"They're a lot better, they've improved. Keep working hard and they've got a bright future ahead of them," Reedsburg senior right-hander Travis Schrank said of the Vikings (5-4, 3-2 Northern Badger), who snapped a 52-game conference losing streak earlier in the season.

Schrank saw plenty of Vikings on the basepaths Tuesday. Mount Horeb had seven hits and three walks over the first four innings, but it stranded seven runners — including five in scoring position.

Schrank weaved his way out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third. After a meeting at the mound — Schrank was reminded to throw strikes — he induced two popups.

"He's been mentally tough all year for us," Beavers coach Dennis Schommer said of Schrank, who had one strikeout in the complete game. "When he's on the mound we feel pretty confident that we've got a chance to win."

Dillon Berg's sacrifice fly scored Mike Lennon in the first for Reedsburg (6-3, 5-1).

Mount Horeb grabbed the lead in the bottom half after Jason Towns dropped a two-out, bases-loaded single into right that scored Jordan Christian and courtesy runner Tyler Ostrander.

After Schrank stranded runners on the corners in the second, Reedsburg's Mike Huber delivered the game-changer with a three-run home run in the top of the third.

"Coach always tells us we need to get timely hits and I love hitting with strikes on me. I really tried just to hit the ball and it happened to go over the fence," said Huber, who got the offspeed offering he was keyed on.

Timely hits avoided the Vikings in key situations.

They had runners on base in every inning but one and twice had the tying run at the plate in the sixth. But Lennon stemmed the tide, first with a fine scoop of a short-hopper at shortstop and then by grabbing a popup for the final out.

Overall, the Vikings left 11 on base, seven of which were in scoring position.

"We hit the ball well, we hit some shots, but they made some plays," said Mount Horeb coach Rick Christian, whose program is on an upswing after having won a combined seven games from 2004 to '07. "They're a very good team and we have nothing to hang our heads about on this one."

Added Schommer: "Both teams left a lot of men on base. A key hit here or there and this game could have been different than (how) it turned out."