Game 2 Box Score — RECORD SETTING GAME
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wisc. – The Duluth Huskies (21-32, 5-13) set the league record for most runs scored in a single game during game two of their double header against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (16-38, 6-14). Duluth posted 30 in a 30-10 win, after losing the day game by a score of 5-2. George McIntyre became the first Duluth player to ever homer three times in one game, finishing game two 5-for-7 with three homers and eight RBI, the most driven in by any Huskies hitter this season.
Game One
Ben Llewellyn got the start for Duluth in game one, his first of the season. Llewellyn allowed the first four runners to reach, including two infield singles, before the fifth hitter Bennett Crerar hit a grand slam to make it 5-0 Rafters before an out was recorded in the bottom of the first. Llewellyn was sharp from there on out, and finished with 6.1 innings pitched and six strikeouts. Carter Boos kept it scoreless out of the bullpen, but Duluth couldn’t mount a comeback.
Colton LaFave started for Wisconsin Rapids. He allowed runs in the third and fifth, both on Anthony Cepeda RBI. But Duluth stranded nine against LaFave and 11 in the game to leave plenty of opportunities on the field. Casey Wambach earned a dominant three inning save, pitching three perfect innings to shut things down and earn Wisconsin Rapids the win.
Game Two
The game began with Wisconsin Rapids jumping out to a 3-0 lead on Duluth in the first, scoring on Huskies high school star Dax Hardcastle making his first start.
The second inning should have been clean as well for Noah Marschke, the Rafters starter. With two outs and a runner on first, he struck out Wyatt Pennington. The pitch was in the dirt, however, and Pennington reached on the dropped third strike. That was all Duluth needed, as Dax Hardcastle ripped a two-run double followed immediately by an Isaiah Ibarra two-run homer to give Duluth the lead. Wisconsin Rapids scored in the bottom half but an Anthony Cepeda outfield assist kept the game tied at 4.
The third inning blasted Duluth from good to record-setting potential on the offensive side. The Huskies posted 10 runs in the frame, the second time this season they’ve totaled 10 runs in an inning and first since early June against Bismarck. George McIntyre launched his first homer of the game (and inning), driving in three. Hardcastle rapped a second RBI double of the game and the first seven Duluth hitters reached in the inning. With two outs in the inning, McIntyre pummeled another fastball with the bases loaded, marking his second home run in one inning and Duluth’s second grand slam in two days.
Wisconsin Rapids responded with a grand slam of their own in the bottom of the third. Crerar hit his second grand slam of the day, cutting the lead to 14-8 after three. Unfortunately for the Rafters, that was the last time they’d score until the bottom of the ninth.
Duluth plated three more runs in the fifth and sixth, with Ibarra homering for the second time and Benji Kautto launching a long ball of his own in the fifth after Kautto and Kayden Campbell picked up RBI in the fourth. The Huskies got to 21 runs in the sixth, with a Pennington sacrifice fly pushing across Andrew Ermis. The sixth inning spelled the end of the day for Rafters pitchers, as the final three frames were tossed by Wisconsin Rapids infielder Josiah Palomino.
Duluth scored two in the seventh thanks to Campbell and Manny Dorantes singles. The first batter in the top of the eighth was McIntyre, and he took an eephus pitch at his head into left field, launching a third home run of the game to clinch the Huskies record. Ibarra cranked another RBI double to put the Huskies at 25 runs. The eighth inning clinched the highest-scoring game in Huskies history, as it had never before totaled 24 or more runs in a game.
In the top of the ninth, Duluth made two outs without scoring a run and it appeared that their bid for a record-setting day on the league scale would fall short. But with two outs and a runner on second, Duluth mounted a string of hits. Pennington singled ahead of a Hardcastle two-run triple. Ibarra and Brayden Smith hit back to back doubles to tie the league record at 29 runs, and Kautto singled past the first baseman to push the total to 30 and set a new Northwoods League record.
Duluth got four hitless, scoreless innings out of Cole McCombs after less than stellar performances from Hardcastle and Michael Zunker. Jayden Andrade finished the game, allowing two runs in the bottom of the ninth and completing the final two innings.
Besides for McIntyre’s record-setting day, most Huskies had excellent days at the plate. Ibarra had the first four extra base hit day of the season for Duluth, totaling a 4-for-4 game with two home runs, two doubles, two walks, six RBI and six runs. Hardcastle, despite a poor start on the mound, finished the day 4-for-6 at the plate with a triple and two doubles, five RBI of his own and five runs scored. Kautto had four hits as well, homering and driving in four runs including the record-setting knock. Maddox Monsour and Ermis both had two doubles. Jalen Smith, of all players, was the only Duluth starter not to tally a hit and struck out three times.
On Deck
The Huskies will look to follow up their all-time day at home against the Badlands, returning home for the start of a seven game home stand. The Big Sticks visit on Friday and Saturday, followed by three games in two days against the Rochester Honkers. Duluth will complete their home slate with a return trip from Wisconsin Rapids early next week. Tickets for Duluth home games are on sale on the team website, and all Huskies baseball action can be streamed on FloSports.