The Duluth Huskies(18-22) dropped the first game of the two game set with the Eau Claire Express(18-23). It was quite the pitchers duel today at Wade stadium as the Huskies lost 6-1.

The score is misleading as it was a 2-1 ballgame until the ninth inning. Henry DeCaster(St. Thomas) and Aaron Shortridge(University of California) were both outstanding today for their teams. DeCaster gave up his first hit in the fifth inning and ended the game throwing 7.0 innings while giving up two runs off of four hits. He had a tremendous start but ended up getting the loss and is now 0-5 on the summer season. Stephen Yancey(Texas Wesleyan) relieved DeCaster and threw one inning while striking out one of the Express batters. In the top of the ninth inning, Victor Santana(Waubonsee CC) was called upon while the Huskies were trailing 2-1. It was not Santana’s best outing as he only went for 0.1 innings and gave up four earned runs off of two hits and two walks. Santana was replace by Piero Amador(Greensboro College) who would get the Huskies out of the jam.

The winning pitcher for today’s game was Aaron Shortridge and is now 4-1 on the season. Shortridge went 8.0 innings and gave up one earned run off of six hits and recorded eight strikeouts.

The Huskies will take on the same Eau Claire Express team tomorrow in Eau Claire. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.