George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com
The Havre North Stars American Legion baseball team couldn't watch the Vauxhall Spurs get out of town fast enough. That's because on Wednesday afternoon at Legion Field, the North Stars opened a six-game week-long homestand with two humbling losses to the league-leading Spurs. In two games on Wednesday, Vauxhall, one of the clear-cut favorites to capture the Class A state championship this season, terrorized Havre pitching by scoring 39 runs and belting 38 hits, including four homeruns. The first game of the doubleheader started innocently enough as the North Stars got a strong early effort from Willie DeVries on the hill. DeVries kept the North Stars within striking distance early as they trailed just 2-1 after Joe Malisani singled in Kyle Miller in the bottom of the first. Havre then took a 3-2 lead in the third inning when Malisani, who went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, drove in two more runs. From there however, the rest of the day belonged to the Spurs. Vauxhall scored 10 runs in the next three innings, chasing DeVries, who had pitched so well, from the contest and claiming a 12-6 game one victory. DeVries, who struck out two and walked just two, was charged with the loss, while Vauxhall ace Mitch Schaafsma picked up the win. The North Stars did get a spectacular game from Malisani, who besides doing the catching duties, had four singles and two RBIs. Shane Kemmer also had a pair of hits and Paul Jensen drove in four of Havre's six runs. Meanwhile, the Spurs got a 2-for-4 performance from star hitter Brendan Miller, including a first-inning homerun. And Miller and the Spurs were just getting warmed up, because with two runners on in the first inning of the second game, Miller slammed his second homer of the day over the left field wall, and the Spurs were on their way to a 27-1 win. The second game saw Havre starter Josh Haas have to contend with a strong wind blowing out of the park, and the heavy-hitting Spurs took advantage. Already leading 4-0 in after one inning, Vauxhall scored 17 runs in the second to turn the game into a laugher. Vauxhall had 21 hitters come to the plate in the inning, and the Spurs pounded out 12 hits, including two doubles by Miller and a two-run homer by Mike Brown, eventually leading to Haas leaving the game. Roman Surber and Kyle Miller would also pitch in the five-inning outing for the North Stars. Brendan Miller's second game included a 6-for-6 performance with two homeruns, two doubles and 11 RBIs. Brown was also sensational, totaling four hits, including a homer and seven RBIs. In all, Vauxhall racked up 25 hits and still left 10 runners on base. The Spurs also held Havre to just three hits, and Ty Hemsing threw a one-hitter until Paul Jensen doubled off the center- field wall in the fifth inning. The North Stars broke up the shutout minutes later when DeVries drove Jensen in for their only run of the game. Haas was the pitcher of record for the North Stars, who will try to bounce back today when they host Medicine Hat for a conference doubleheader. Today's games with the Monarchs begin at 1 at Legion Field.
