GAME NOTES – PLAYOFFS ROUND 1 VS LA CROSSE

The Duluth Huskies are among the Northwoods League’s final eight. They have qualified for the postseason for the third time in the last four seasons. As a result, they will be facing off against the La Crosse Loggers in the first round, best-of-three series. Here are the five things to know and game notes packet (linked above) for the big-time playoff series:

1. REGULAR SEASON RECAP: The Huskies finished the first half of the season at .500, 17-17. The Huskies were in the hunt to capture the first half crown, but they finished the first half losing seven of the final 10, fading to fourth. Offense drove the wagon for the Huskies in the first half, scoring double-digit runs seven times out of the 34 games. However, the pitching and defense left something to be desired. The Huskies made 61 errors in the first half, most in the league. The second half seemed to signal a foundational shift for the team. The offense became more opportunistic and utilizing the bunt and complimentary components more. They walked more and struck out less. The defense tightened up, making just 47 errors in the second half. The team ran more. The pitching vastly improved. And, the success of the team improved due to all of that, and the Huskies finished the second half, 21-14, winning the Great Plains East’s second half crown and accompanying playoff berth. The last two games of the year against Rochester felt like really good examples of just how the second half has been. The first was a tight, low-scoring affair the Huskies won thanks to an opportunistic offense and stellar pitching. Then, with basically nothing to play for in game two, Duluth came back from down two runs in the bottom of the ninth before winning it in the tenth in walk-off fashion. 
2. HUSKIES HIGHS: It sure has been quite a memorable season in Duluth and this edition of the Huskies etched their name into the record books in a couple of different categories. First, the team set the stolen bases record thanks to a ridiculous second half of running. The previous best was 167, set in 2018. The team stole 120 bases in the second half alone, at an 89.5% success rate, for a total of 181, blowing the record away. The team also has drawn walks at an incredible rate. On the season, they drew 421 walks, fifth-most in the league. The previous high? 379, set last year by the 2023 offensive juggernaut. For what it’s worth, the 421 walks in 70 games is over six walks per game.
3. SEASON-LONG STUDS: Recently, the Northwoods League named their postseason All-Stars to honor players for their full season. Three Huskies were named to the team: SS Jayden Duplantier, 3B Charlie Sutherland and P Isaac Rohde. Duplantier was a common sight atop the Huskies leaders in batting average, and also was their biggest weapon on the basepaths, stealing 30 bases. Sutherland was Duluth’s best run-producer and has been stapled to the three or four spot in the lineup for good reason. His 49 RBIs is best on the team and tied for 13th in the league. Rohde has been the Huskies best arm in the second half. His role has been a mix of starting and relief. He sports a 2.05 ERA in 52.2 IP, striking out 48.
4. LOOKING AT THE LOGGERS: It sure has been a tale of two halves for the Loggers. The first half, they finished 22-12 to win the half and clinch the postseason. However, the second half was not nearly as kind to them as they were the worst team in the division (that played the full half). They carry an unsightly 11-25 record into the second half, almost a full 180 to what they did last summer. On paper, the team is still dangerous with an offense that ranks top-10 basically across the board. The best bat is Case Sanderson, ranking near the top of the league in RBIs (51, T-8th), BA (.359, 5th) and OPS (1.049). The offense hasn’t been the issue. They allowed 287 runs over 36 games in the second half, almost eight runs per game (7.97). Keeping the walks (435, 6th) in check will be key in this matchup, one that on paper, they have dominated. They hold a 6-2 record over the Huskies this summer.
5. THE SCHEDULE AND HOW TO WATCH: The entirety of the Northwoods League postseason will be exclusively on ESPN+ (subscription required), including the Huskies first round series against the Loggers. However, the Huskies will be hosting game two, and a potential game three, at Wade Stadium. To join the crowd, buy tickets online here, call the ticketing office at 218-786-9909 or buy tickets at the door on game day. Here is the official schedule:

   Sunday, August 11 at 5:05 PM CST, Game 1: Huskies at La Crosse
   Monday, August 12 at 6:35 PM CST, Game 2: La Crosse at Huskies
   Tuesday, August 12 at TBD, Game 3 (if necessary): La Crosse at Huskies