Duluth’s bats cool off
After dropping the first game of the doubleheader, Duluth was unable to bounce back as they fell to the Stingers in game two 6-1.
Willmar started the scoring early as they scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning with Jason Ortiz (New Mexico State) supplying the big blow with a 2-run double into right center to put the Huskies in an early deficit.
Duluth ran into more trouble in the third inning when the Stingers loaded the bases and brought home another run on a bases loaded walk on Jaxon Hallmark (Nebraska) to put Willmar up 5-0.
The Huskies produced their best threat in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with two outs. Sean Watkins (Cal-State Los Angeles) had the first opportunity to produce runs and he would bring one in the hard way as he was hit by pitch to collect an RBI and pull Duluth within four at 5-1. That would be the only run the Huskies could muster in the inning.
Willmar would get that run back immediately when Matt Rudick (San Diego State) singled in Caleb Ricca (Northwestern State) to make it 6-1 Stingers.
That score would hold as Willmar would go onto sweep the Huskies in the doubleheader to pull even with them in the North Standings at 18-8 with 10 games left to play in the regular season.
Despite the offensive struggles, Colan Treml (UW-Oshkosh) was a bright spot out of the bullpen on Wednesday night. Treml pitched five innings in relief allowing just one earned run with three strikeouts.
Huskies will return home to being a four-game home stand starting Thursday as they host the Mankato Moondogs at 6:35 p.m. The game can be heard on 92.1 THE FAN in Duluth
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The Duluth Huskies are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.duluthhuskies.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Huskies as your favorite tea