Six Hit Eighth Inning Completes Comeback
Brendan Reilly, bgr28@miami.edu
Duluth, Minn- For the first seven and a half innings, it looked like the Minnesota Mud Puppies were going to put a dent in the Huskies’ second-half plans. But with the top of the order up, Duluth was able to piece together hit after hit, coming back from three down, taking game one, 5-4 at Wade Stadium.
After a quick three innings from Minnesota’s (4-19) starting pitcher Jack Liffrig and Duluth’s (18-25) Jonny Guzman, the Mud Puppies, who had Guzman’s number earlier in the season, we’re able to get to Guzman once again.
After a pair of walks started off the inning, the Mud Puppies were able to capitalize after a pair of RBI doubles by Peter Brookshaw and Will Sturek. After a sacrifice fly from Ben Palmer, the Mud Puppies were up 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth.
The Huskies went down quickly in the bottom of the fourth, but after Guzman got through a clean fifth, Ryan McDonald was able to hit a sacrifice fly to give the Huskies their first run of the game.
Guzman continued to battle on the mound, getting through six innings, giving up five hits and four runs while striking out two. He gave way to southpaw Caden Griffin, who threw up two zeros in the top of the seventh and eighth.
With the Huskies down to their final six outs down three, Charlie Rhee led off the bottom of the 8th with a leadoff single, the Huskies would begin to roll. Michael Brooks and Mike Boeve both singled as well, loading the bases for Ambren Voitik.
Voitik was able to beat out an infield single that brought in Rhee and gave the Huskies momentum to continue to come through. After a Peyton Powell strikeout, Voitik’s college teammate, Calyn Halvorson, ripped a single into right that got the Huskies within one.
The next man up was Bryan Broecker, who tied the ball game up at four after another RBI single. The Huskies were able to put up three runs with less than two outs to notch the game up, and after a strikeout from Brett Paulsen, the patient Ryan McDonald was able to draw a four-pitch walk, bringing in Voitik, and the Huskies had come back from three down once again this season, leading five to four going into the ninth inning.
The Huskies then turned the ball over to the Texas Longhorn Jared Southard who was looking to close the door for the second time this year. Southard would only need seven pitches to earn the save, making quick work of the bottom of the order for the Mud Puppies, as the Huskies picked up win number six of the second half, keeping a one-game lead over the Eau Claire Express.
Despite the one run win, the Huskies doubled up the Mud Puppies in hits, 12-6. They were lead by Ambren Voitik who had a 3-3 night at the plate, while Rhee, Halvorson, and Broecker all picking up two-hit games.
The Huskies now look to complete their second sweep of the second half tomorrow evening back at Wade Stadium, with Tony Cortez making his third start on the mound for the Huskies. First pitch is set for 6:35.
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The Duluth Huskies are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 27th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 250 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB Gold Glove finalist and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. 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 team.