By Ryan Divish/Havre Daily News Sports Editor/rdivish@havredailynews.com
When you are in the midst of a long losing streak, it seems like nothing can go right. But all it takes is a break here or there to snap the streak - and banging out 15 hits in a game doesn't hurt either.
The Havre Comets made their own breaks offensively to snap an 11-game losing skid with an 8-3 win over the Tri-County Cardinals on Monday afternoon at Legion Park.
It was the most runs Havre has scored in several games as all but one player who came to bat for the Comets picked up a hit.
The Comets got a solid pitching performance Sean Peterson. Despite giving up 10 hits, Peterson hung in there thanks to some good defensive plays and timely strikeouts. Peterson struck out 11 Tri-County batters in seven innings of work to pick up the much needed win for Havre.
Offensively, the Comets had a wealth of contributors as Mike Olson, Austin Small and Josh Lowe all had three hits each. Small drove in four runs on his three hits, while Lowe knocked in two runs. Olson had a pair of doubles and scored a pair of runs for Havre. Jess McLain and John Christian each added RBI singles in the win.
It appeared that the Comets were getting out the brooms for a rare doubleheader sweep in the nightcap.
After falling down 3-0 early, Havre battled back behind its newfound offense. Tom Knudson tied the game at 4-4 for Havre in the fourth inning with a two-run single in the fourth. Tri-County retook the lead, thanks to a couple of costly Comet errors and led 8-5 going into the bottom of the seventh. But Havre rallied yet again. Knudson provided yet another game-tying two-run single in the bottom of the seventh.
But Havre's offense went quiet in extra innings. Three times the Comets had the winning run on base, but failed to score them. Tri-County made the Comets pay in the top of the 10th, scoring five runs off of reliever John Christian to take a 13-8 lead. The Comets had run out of rally magic in the 10th and had to settle for the conference split.
Christian had three hits and three RBIs to lead the Comets. Knudson finished 2-5 with four RBIs, while Bill Siebrasse and Olson had two hits each.
Saturday wasn't quite as kind to the Comets as they were swept at home by a very good Lethbridge Miner squad. Havre fell 12-0 in the first game as the Miners scored 12 runs, seven of which were unearned in the opening game. Havre spotted the Miners five runs in the first two innings on four errors and could never come back. Lethbridge pitcher Tyler Hamayose held the Comets offense at bay, allowing just no runs and four hits in six innings.
Small had two hits for Havre, while Josh Morse and Anderson added a hit each.
The nightcap wasn't much better as the Comets fell behind 13-1 after five innings. However, Havre avoided the 10-run mercy rule by scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth on five consecutive hits. Lethbridge tacked on three insurance runs in the seventh for a 16-5 win.
Despite the lopsided score, Havre's offense was much better, pounding out 12 hits in the game.
Olson led the Comets with three hits and an RBI. Small, Christian and Siebrasse added two hits each in the loss.
The Comets return action on Saturday when they travel to Medicine Hat to face the Medicine Hat Knights at 1 p.m.
SATURDAY
Lethbridge 12, Havre 0
Lethbridge Miners 130 026 - 12 9 0
Havre Comets 000 000 - 0 4 4
Tyler Hamayose (WP) and Mike Troutman; John Christian (LP), Tom Knudson (6) and Josh Morse
MINER HITTING - Tyler Aiken 3-4, Kellon Kristjanson 2-4, Brent Wirzba 1-3, Jared Hirsche 1-2, Matt Smith 1-3, Mike Troutman 2-4, Joshua Day Chief 1-3, Nathan Gilchrist 0-4, Mason Zempel 0-3.
COMET HITTING - Josh Morse 1-2, Sean Peterson 0-3, Austin Small 2-2, Tyson Anderson 1-2, John Christian 0-2, Richard Jarvis 0-3, Josh Lowe 0-2, Jess McLain 0-2, Scott Ladenburg 0-2.
2B - Aiken, Kristjanson, Smith, Day Chief, Small
3B - none
HR - none
Lethbridge 16, Havre 5
Lethbridge Miners 514 300 3 - 16 7 2
Havre Comets 010 040 0 - 5 12 3
Kellon Kristjanson (WP), Mason Zempel (7) and Matt Smith; Tyson Anderson (LP), Jess McLain (4), Josh Lowe (5), Scott Ladenburg (5) and Mike Olson.
MINER HITTING - Tyler Aikin 2-3, Joshua Day Chief 0-3, Jared Hirsche 0-3, Tyler Tamayose 2-4, Matt Smith 0-2, Nathan Gilchrist 1-3, Mike Troutman 2-3, Jeff Wilson 0-2.
COMET HITTING - Bill Siebrasse 2-4, Austin Small 2-4 (RBI), Tyson Anderson 0-2, Richard Jarvis 1-2 (RBI), Mike Olson 3-4 (RBI), John Christian 2-4 (RBI), Jess McLain 0-2, Bryden Vukasin 1-4, Tom Knudson 1-3, Sean Peterson 0-2.
2B - none
3B - none
HR - none
MONDAY
Havre 8, Tri-County 3
Tri-County Cardinals 3 10 4
Havre Comets 8 15 3
Sean Peterson (WP) and Josh Morse.
CARDINAL HITTING - not available
COMET HITTING - Josh Morse 1-3, Richard Jarvis 2-3, Austin Small 3-4 (4 RBI), Tyson Anderson 1-3, Mike Olson 3-4, Jess McLain 1-3 (RBI), John Christian 1-3 (RBI), Josh Lowe 3-4 (2 RBI), Scott Ladenburg 0-3.
2B - Anderson, Olson 2, Lowe
3B - none
HR - none
Tri-County 13, Havre 8 (10 innings)
Tri-County Cardinals 13 12 4
Havre Comets 8 14 4
Austin Small (9), John Christian (LP) and Mike Olson, Josh Lowe.
CARDINAL HITTING - not available
COMET HITTING - Bill Siebrasse 2-6, Sean Peterson 1-5 (RBI), Tyson Anderson 1-5, Josh Lowe 0-1, Jess McLain 2-5 (RBI), John Christian 3-3 (3 RBI), Bryden Vukasin 1-4, Tom Knudson 2-5 (4 RBI), Josh Morse 0-2, Austin Small 0-2, Mike Olson 2-3.
2B - Christian
3B - none
HR - none
