DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Huskies (22-32, 6-13) silenced the Badlands Big Sticks (27-28, 9-12) for nine innings on Friday night, winning 7-0 for their second straight victory. It was the first shutout win for the Huskies and the first time Duluth pitching did not walk any opposing hitter in a game all season. The Big Sticks were shut out for the third time this season. One game after the Huskies set a Northwoods League record for most runs in a single game, they earn their first shutout victory of the season, proving they can get wins in a multitude of fashions.
Both starters were excellent in the game. Devin Doyle was the star for Duluth, pitching seven scoreless frames, allowing five singles and no walks. The only runner that reached scoring position the entire game was thanks to a George McIntyre error in the seventh. Doyle couldn’t be touched for most of the game despite offering 74 of his 100 pitches in the zone. It was the second start this season for a Duluth pitcher that resulted in seven scoreless innings, with Doyle joining Duluth’s other workhorse Anthony Andrews in that department. For Doyle, it was the best of a long line of good outings this season. He lowered his ERA to a sparkling 2.11 on the season. Doyle is five innings short from qualifying for the league leaderboard, where he would otherwise sit 2nd behind only Ckyler Tengler of the Madison Mallards.
On the other side of the ball, Collin Maloney was quite good as well. Maloney worked a quality start, pitching six innings and allowing two runs to score, with the Huskies tallying five hits and two walks against the Arkansas State product. Maloney was burned by a lack of run support once more, with the Badlands taking their fourth loss in five appearances this season when Maloney pitches, despite his stellar 2.45 ERA. To his credit, it was the first loss taken by Maloney, who falls to 1-1 on the season.
Most of Duluth’s offense came in the eighth, but it did manufacture a pair of runs against Maloney. In the third, Kayden Campbell singled on the infield with two outs. After Campbell stole second, Anthony Cepeda rapped an infield hit as well, putting runners at the corners. Cepeda took off for second and Jackson Cionek, the Badlands catcher who made two errors on the game, tried a back pick towards third that deflected off Campbell and allowed him to score.
In the sixth, Campbell singled again, this time to the outfield. He then stole second, notching his third swipe of the game and 17th of the season in 14 contests. Cepeda moved the high school senior to third on a grounder and a Jalen Smith sacrifice fly plated Campbell once more.
Pierce Anderson got the call for the eighth, presumably for a six out save. Anderson fanned the side in order in the frame, throwing 16 straight fastballs to pick up his trio of strikeouts.
Duluth then turned on the burners in the bottom of the eighth against Logan Gutterman. Brayden Smith reached on an E3 to begin the inning and things went downhill from there in Gutterman’s NWL debut. He walked Maddox Monsour, hit Campbell with a pitch to load the bases, and then allowed a two-run single to Cepeda. After Campbell and Cepeda executed a double steal and got another throwing error from Cionek to score Campbell and place Cepeda at third with no outs, Jalen Smith hit a second sac fly to the warning track to score Cepeda. With two outs and nobody on, George McIntyre hit a ball off the wall in right center. Dakota Howard, the Big Sticks’ center fielder, caromed off the padding and fell to the turf, and McIntyre rounded the bases in one fell swoop for Duluth’s first inside-the-park home run of the season, and McIntyre’s fourth bomb in the past two days.
With a 7-0 lead, Duluth turned to Brent Godina instead of Anderson for the ninth, choosing to save Anderson for a shorter rest. Godina retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts to close things down.
Campbell had two hits and three runs in the win, once more proving the catalyst for Huskies offense. Cepeda had two singles and two RBI right behind Campbell, and Jalen Smith added onto his gaudy RBI total with a pair of sacrifice flies. McIntyre finished the day 2-for-4 with a homer and a double, giving him six extra base hits in his past three games. The Dawgs ran wild on the Sticks, stealing 10 bases on 10 attempts, with Waylon Walsh getting picked off being the only mar on an otherwise sterling base running day from Duluth.
On Deck
Duluth finishes off the season series with Badlands on Saturday night, before turning to a double header on Sunday against Rochester. The Huskies are in the midst of their longest home stand of the season, which lasts through Wednesday and contains seven games in six days. Tickets for all Duluth home games can be found online on the team website, and all Huskies baseball action can be streamed on FloSports.