George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com
The Havre North Stars American Legion baseball team is finding the city of Lethbridge a tough place to win games. Having already lost a nonconference doubleheader in Lethbridge earlier this season, the North Stars suffered another setback there on Wednesday night. Havre was swept in a league doubleheader by the Lethbridge Spitz Miners on Wednesday night, dropping its overall record to 9-9 on the season. The Miners beat the North Stars 12-5 in the first game. Havre was leading 5-4 in the sixth inning and the North Stars out-hit the Miners 14-8, but Havre's pitching, which has been solid all season long, couldn't hold the Lethbridge bats at bay, and the Miners rallied to score eight runs over the final two innings. In the second game, Lethbridge exploded, and scored early and often in a 15-5, five-inning romp. It was just four day earlier that Havre beat Lethrbidge 10-0 in five innings in Havre, but on Wednesday night, the Miners turned the tables on the North Stars. Leading the way at the plate for Havre was Kyle Miller, Shane Kemmer and Justin Jensen, all of whom had multiple hits in the doubleheader. Tyler Olthoff also had a strong two games for the North Stars. Now, Havre will have to regroup as it prepares to begin play today in a strong tournament in Bozeman hosted by the Gallatin Valley Outlaws. The North Stars will play twice today, starting with a game against Lewistown at 4. Tonight at 6:30, they will face the Outlaws. Havre lost to Lewistown last Friday in Havre but beat Gallatin Valley. On Saturday morning, the North Stars will take on the Gallatin Valley Posse at 8:30 a.m. and the Butte Muckers at 11 a.m. Havre's final game of the tournament will be on Sunday when the North Stars square off with the Glendive Blue Devils at 11 a.m.
