Behind solid hitting and strong contributions from its younger players, Warren Central has come out of the gates firing.

The Vikings have started the baseball season with a 10-2 record and have won seven of their last eight games against some tough competition.

“The team concept is a big part of our success right now,” WC coach Randy Broome said. “The chemistry of this team has been really good, and it’s showing. A lot of the wins have a lot to do with that.”

Their only losses were a 1-0 nailbiter to Pratville, Ala., in Pearl on Feb. 28, and an 8-5 loss on Thursday to defending state champion Oak Grove a team the Vikings beat 6-5 in their first game of the season.

Otherwise, Warren Central has defeated its opponents by an average of 8.6 runs per game. The Vikings have topped 10 runs in half their wins.

“We don’t have people that will get up and hit 10, 12 bombs a year,” sophomore center fielder Nick Carson said. “We’ve got people hitting good, timely base hits.”

On Friday, they opened Division 6-5A play with a 30-1 throttling of Forest Hill. The Vikings followed that with 11-0 and 11-7 wins over Tara, La., in a doubleheader.

“I’m proud of the way we’re swinging the bats right now,” Broome said. “We’re getting some hits that are falling that they’re not hitting very hard. But I guess when you are swinging well, things like that happen.”

Broome said his biggest problem right now is figuring out who to play on a day-to-day basis. The Vikings’ lineup is in constant flux as new offensive threats continue to emerge.

While seniors Mark Different, Allen Carlisle and Jake Turner are fixtures in the heart of the lineup, others are shifting around.

Vaughn Mims is the designated hitter against right-handed pitchers, and Eric Douglas plays against lefties. Ryan Grey and Kyle Gordon are battling it out for first base, while Drew Warnock and Otis Stamps split time in left field.

“I’m trying to find the guys that are hot and get them in there. That’s a problem you always want to have,” Broome said. “Our kids are doing an excellent job of staying focused and understanding that today they may be starting, tomorrow they may not be. But their times will come again to get it done.”

Several sophomores also have stepped up.

Carson’s stellar hitting and speed have vaulted him from ninth in the lineup to the leadoff spot.

“Nick’s been able to get the hits when we needed them and runs the bases well,” Broome said. “I think putting him in the leadoff spot might have helped boost his confidence a little bit. I don’t know, but he’s definitely responded.”

Against Forest Hill, Carson homered and tripled. In Saturday’s doubleheader, he went 6-for-6 with a double and a triple.

“(The coaches) really believed I could hit, and gave me a chance to look at some pitches early,” said Carson, who is hitting .472.

Third baseman Josh Gordon has pushed himself into the middle of the lineup with his .343 batting average.

Pitchers Eric Douglas and Parker White each have contributed big innings in relief.

White picked up a win against Ridgeland on March 2 with 5 2/3 shutout innings. Douglas came in during the top of the first in Saturday’s second game against Tara and allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings for the win.

“Us sophomores, we’ve been together since we were 9 or 10 years old playing on tournament teams, all-star teams,” Douglas said. “We’ve been playing together pretty much our whole lives. We’re a good squad, and we all get along.”

With more steady contributions from all around, the Vikings look to continue their success in the Ouachita Tournament in Louisiana, which begins on Thursday.

“I’m just excited and glad,” Broome said. “We had a great spring break week, only one loss against Oak Grove.

“We played some good baseball, and we’re looking forward. We’ll take a day of rest and get back after it for next week.”