The Huskies drop game one 8-6 to Waterloo.
John Kuziej, john.kuziej@gmail.com
Waterloo, IA. – The Duluth Huskies kicked off their postseason journey tonight against the Waterloo Bucks. Matthew Craven got the ball on the mound for the Huskies and he battled for five innings against the first place division rivals. Craven was able to work out of some tough spots for the Huskies, getting out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth, retiring Jalen Smith on a massive strikeout. Craven ended his night going five innings, striking out three and only giving up three runs, he gave his team a chance against one of the league’s most potent offensives.
After the Huskies offense put up 20 hits and 13 runs in their regular season finale, they carried that monument into the playoffs and got a two-run homerun from Bryan Broecker in the fourth inning to take the lead 2-1. The Bucks would then take the lead back in the fifth inning on their own two-run home run but the Huskies would comeback and tie the game the next inning as Mike Boeve reached on an error and Charlie Rhee scored to make it three all.
The game was turned over to the Huskies bullpen and this is when Waterloo showed why they were the division champions. Waterloo was able to score six unanswered runs in the later innings and going into the bottom of the eighth they lead 8-3.
However, the Huskies are not a team that just gives up. In the bottom of the eighth they put up two runs thanks to singles from Broecker and Michael Sarhatt. In the top of the ninth Grant Taival came in and worked a scoreless frame to keep it at 8-5 going into the Huskies last ups.
During the Huskies’ final frame, Rhee walked, Calyn Halvorson doubled and Boeve singled, it was suddenly 8-6 and the winning run at the plate with nobody out. Unfortunately, for the Huskies it was not meant to be as Waterloo’s closer was able to shut the door and the Bucks took game one.
The Huskies fall to 0-1 in the postseason and the Bucks improve to 1-0. The Huskies will be back in action tomorrow at 6:35pm in Waterloo, Iowa as they look to keep their season alive and force a game 3.
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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.
