The Huskies drop game one in Rochester 8-6.
John Kuziej, john.kuziej@gmail.com
Rochester, Minn. – After getting a great start by Will McEntire in Willmar the Huskies looked to build on the momentum before the MLB showcase break. With Ben Pedersen on the mound, Duluth looked to take game one of a two game series. The game was tight through the first three innings. In the fourth, the Huskies got to the Honkers starter Kenny Lippman when he walked in a run and the Huskies led 1-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Pedersen got into a big jam as he walked six Honkers in the inning and walked in the go ahead run. Pedersen had trouble finding the strike zone all night long as he ended his night with nine walks. In a 2-1 game, two outs and the bases loaded full of Honkers, Pedersen got Mac Horvath to pop up into shallow left field. Charlie Rhee came running in and the usually reliable fielder could not come up with the catch and the Honkers blew the game open 5-1. Pedersen’s night was done going 3.2 innings, striking out four, walking nine and giving up two earned runs.
The game stayed at 5-1 until the bottom of the sixth when the Honkers hit a solo home run and scored two more when Ambren Voitik lost the ball in the lights to expand their lead 8-1.
However, manager Marcus Pointer decided to empty the bench and the Huskies started to make a comeback. With two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth, Brett Paulsen had a great at bat working a walk. Then, the first of three pinch hitters Jake Brill drilled a single into left, Michael Sarhatt delivered a single into right and with the bases juiced Ryan McDonald sent one into orbit and all of a sudden it was 8-6 heading into the ninth.
In the ninth, Sarhatt came out to pitch for the Huskies looking to keep it right where it was. Sarhatt did just that working a quick and scoreless top of the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, the Huskies brought the tying run to the plate in Voitik but he grounded into a double play to end it.
The Huskies fall to 11-12 in the second half and the Honkers improve to 12-12. The Huskies will be back in action August 4th, at 6:35pm in Rochester, Minnesota as they look to get the split in this two game series against Rochester.
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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
