Ryan Divish
Havre Daily News Sports Editor
rdivish@havredailynews.com
The two doubleheaders in a span of four days couldn't have been more different for the Havre Comets. On Thursday at Legion Field, the Northstars were crushed by the hard-hitting Vauxhall Spurs in a pair of games. However on Sunday, Havre rallied for a split with the Great Falls Stallions.
The Spurs, who improved to 14-6 in conference, ripped 33 hits and scored 29 runs off of Comet pitching in two games to pick up wins of 16-1 and 13-3.
"They're a really good hitting team," said Comets head coach Andy Smith. "We made a few errors, but they hit the ball very hard and it's tough to field the shots they were hitting.
In the opener, Vauxhall jumped out to an 8-1 lead as T.J. Howg ripped a three-run home run off of Comet starter Logan Reichelt. Havre's lone run came off an RBI double from Anthony Wirtzberger.
Vauxhall ace Phil Vilay shut down the Comet bats with a variety of breaking pitches, holding Havre to just two hits in the game.
Howg continued to blister Havre pitching picking up a triple and a double. He finished with four hits and four RBIs. Besides Wirtzberger's double, Havre's other hit came from Michael Erickson.
In the nightcap, Havre played Vauxhall tough for three innings, trailing just 4-3 in the third. However, Vauxhall broke open the game, scoring nine runs over the final four innings to pick up a 13-3 win.
Vauxhall jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but Havre rallied with three runs in the bottom of the third. Ryan Callahan drew a bases-loaded walk and Seth Jensen was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to score two runs. Jess McLain added a sacrifice fly to left to score the Comets other run. Unfortunately, Havre left the bases loaded in the inning.
"We missed out on an opportunity to get some more runs," Smith said. "We just couldn't get the big hit when we needed it."
Vauxhall broke away with three runs in fourth inning as Jordan Odalnd scored three runs with a single to center under the outstretch glove of a diving Tanner Abdallah.
Offensively, Havre had only three hits as Reichelt, Wirtzberger and Scott Vigliotti all had singles.
Things were a little different on Sunday against the Stallions.
The Comets started off the day right with a 7-4 win as they scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the Stallions away. Scott Vigliotti had a RBI single in the inning.
Havre jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning as Richard Jarvis delivered a two-run single and Bryan Heath and Jeremiah Moog added RBI singles.
Abdallah pitched all seven innings to get the win. He allowed four runs on nine hits. Offensively, Havre got three hits from Reichelt and Moog added two hits in the win.
The Comets appeared poised to get a sweep, however Zach Griffith tripled and scored on a balk call for the go-ahead run. The loss marred a solid pitching performance by Moog, who allowed just five hits in eight innings of work.
"It's disappointing to lose that game because we played so well," Smith said. "But we had our chances to win and just couldn't' take advantage of them.
Indeed, after Reichelt scored in the first inning, Havre couldn't manage another run. The Comets stranded six runners over the next seven innings.
Havre got two hits from Wirtzberger and hits from Reichelt, Vigliotti and McLain.
"It's our best doubleheader that we've played this year," Smith said. "Usually, we play just one good game of the two, but we had two solid games. Abdallah and Moog had great outings on the mound and we played good defense behind them."
Smith hopes it's a sign of things to come.
"It's good to see the kids play well," Smith said. "I think we're starting come around a little."
The Comets will be in action on Wednesday at 3 p.m. when they host the Lethbridge Miners at Legion Field.
Spurs 16, Comets 1
Vauxhall Spurs 441 61 - 16 17 2
Havre Comets 100 00 - 1 2 6
Phil Vilay and Zach Rhodes; Logan Reichelt (4), Seth Jensen (1) and Bryan Heath
WP - Vilay; LP - Reichelt
SPURS HITTING - Brandon Odland 2-3; Ryan Hutchinson 2-5 (RBI); T.J. Howg 4-4 (4 RBI); Brendan Miller 2-3 (RBI); Jaden Odland 2-3; Zach Rhodes 0-4; Brett Conrad 3-4 (4 RBI); Mitch Schaaf 0-3; Ryan Williams 0-2; Mike Brown 1-2; Damon Howg 1-1; Austin Ojala
COMETS HITTING - Marshall Cartwright 0-3; Anthony Wirtzberger 1-2 (RBI); Bryan Heath 0-2; Ryan Callahan 0-2; Jess McLain 0-2; Richard Jarvis 0-2; Michael Erickson 1-2; Tanner Abdallah 0-2; Scott Vigliotti 0-2.
2B - T.J. Howg 2
3B - T.J. Howg
HR - T.J. Howg
Spurs 13, Comets 3
Vauxhall Spurs 121 322 2 - 13 16 1
Havre Comets 003 000 0 - 3 3 4
Clay Turcato and Ryan Hutchinson; Seth Jensen (3), Michael Erickson (3), Richard Jarvis (1) and Ryan Callahan.
WP - Turcato; LP - Jensen
SPURS HITTING - Brendan Odland 0-3; Ryan Hutchinson 3-5 (3 RBI); T.J. Howg 1-2; Jaden Odland 2-4 (5 RBI); Clay Turcato 4-5 (2 RBI); Damon Howg 2-4; Brett Conrad 1-2 (RBI); Mike Brown 0-4 (RBI); Austin Ojala 2-4 (RBI); Phil Vilay 0-1; Ryan Williams 0-1; Zach Rhodes 0-2; Mitch Schaaf 1-1.
COMETS HITTING - Logan Reichelt 1-3; Anthony Wirtzberger 1-3; Ryan Callahan 0-3 (RBI); Seth Jensen 0-2 (RBI); Jess McLain 0-2 (RBI); Marshall Cartwright 0-1; Tanner Abdallah 0-3; Scott Vigliotti 1-3; Spencer Ivers 0-2; Bryan Heath 0-1; Michael Erickson 0-1.
2B - Hutchinson, J. Odland, Turcato 2, D. Howg
3B - none
HR - none
Comets 7, Stallions 4
Great Falls Stallions 010 100 2 - 4 8 2
Havre Comets 400 003 X - 7 9 1
Jesse Blair (5), Tommy Meredith and Zach Griffith; Tanner Abdallah and Ryan Callahan
WP - Abdallah; LP - Blair
STALLIONS HITTING - Zach Griffith 2-4 (RBI); Tyson Wilke 0-3; Carter Lewis 0-1; John Coleman 2-4; Tom Meredith 0-3; Jesse Blair 2-2 (2 RBI); Shawn Pallett; Jeremy Bates 0-3; Aaron Stuker 2-3; Will Sutherland 0-1; Kendall Blair 0-1.
COMETS HITTING - Logan Reichelt 3-4; Anthony Wirtzberger 0-4; Ryan Callahan 0-2; Bryan Heath 1-4 (RBI); Jeremiah Moog 2-4 (RBI); Jess McLain 0-3; Richard Jarvis 1-2 (2 RBI); Marshall Cartwright 1-3; Scott Vigliotti 0-2; Michael Erickson 1-1 (RBI).
2B - Coleman
3B - Moog
HR - none
Stallions 2, Comets 1
Great Falls Stallions 000 010 01 - 2 5 2
Havre Comets 100 000 00 - 1 5 1
Jeremy Bates (4), John Coleman (4) and Zach Griffith; Jeremiah Moog and Bryan Heath
WP - Coleman; LP - Moog
STALLIONS HITTING - Zach Griffith 1-4; Tyson Wilke 1-4; John Coleman 1-4; Jesse Blair 1-4; Tom Meredith 0-3; Jeremy Bates 0-2; Shawn Pallett 0-3; Aaron Stuker 1-3 (RBI); Will Sutherland 0-1; Ken Blair 0-1; Carter Lewis 0-1.
COMETS HITTING - Logan Reichelt 1-3; Anthony Wirtzberger 2-4; Bryan Heath 0-3; Seth Jensen 0-2; Michael Erickson 0-4; Marshall Cartwright 0-2; Richard Jarvis 0-4; Tanner Abdallah 0-2; Scott Vigliotti 1-2; Ryan Callahan 0-1; Jess McLain 1-2.
2B - none
3B - none
HR - none
