By Owen Patterson

 

MINOT, ND – The Mankato Habaneros rolled into town for a four-game series against the Minot Honeybees on a seven-game winning streak. With a strong offensive performance, the Habaneros would build the win streak up to nine with a doubleheader sweep on Monday night.

 

Game one got off to a hot start for both teams. The Honeybees started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, plating one run. Mankato got rolling with an RBI double by Indigo Fish before two more runs came in on one play.

 

The Habaneros lead would also leave in the next half-inning following a two-run double by Sydney Farmer. After two innings, the Honeybees had the advantage again, 4-3.

 

Not so fast, said the Habaneros. After adding two more runs in the third inning, Mankato had regained the lead, 5-3. From that point on, the relief pitchers for both sides shined from the pitcher’s circle. Riley Stiles of Mankato tossed four scoreless, while Jasmine Blizzard chilled the Habaneros’ hots bats over four innings as well.

 

Down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Honeybees got baserunners against Mankato’s starting pitcher, Jessa Snippes, who re-entered that inning, by a single and a walk. Cairah Curran grounded a ball to the shortstop, but the flip to second base, which could have ended the game, was too slow, scoring Josie Buhr from third base and tying the score at 5-5. The Honeybees would be held after that, and the game went to extras.

 

Mankato would get help moving their eighth inning baserunners from multiple wild pitches, even resulting in a run scoring due to a pitch to the backstop. The Habaneros jumped out to a 7-5 lead after their hitting half of the eighth, and relied upon their ace, Snippes, to close the door in the bottom half. Snippes would do just that, not letting Minot get near a comeback and closing out a Mankato win.

 

Game two would not nearly be as closely contested, as the Habaneros struck early and often at the plate, winning 10-0 in five innings. Jenna Sprague was the star for Mankato, going the distance as the starting pitcher, allowing zero runs and striking out three.

 

Games three and four of the series start Tuesday evening at 5:35 pm from Corbett Field.