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Northstars blasted by tough luck at Williston

One week after having their own local tournament rained out, the Havre Northstars traveled to North Dakota, hoping for good weather at the Williston tournament.

While the Northstars may have found better weather in North Dakota, they ran into some bad luck, losing three out of five games in the four-day event.

After losing their first two games to Minot and Dickinson, the Northstars blasted back in their third game to shut out Sidney. Havre won 8-0 in five innings. The game was cut short due to an eight-run rule.

Tyler Thompson pitched all five innings for the win. He allowed just two hits, walked only one and struck out five. Thompson gave up a leadoff single in the first inning before striking out the side. Sidney's only other hit came in the fourth.

The Northstars scored at least one run in every inning, except for the second. A three-run fifth inning gave Havre the eight-run lead necessary to call the game.

Adam Jensen went 2-for-2 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Daine Solomon also had a perfect day at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a triple and an RBI. Ian Spencer added a 2-for-3 day with a double and an RBI and Tyson Roe and Danny Wirtzberger each added 1-for-2 games. Roe tripled, drove home one and scored twice. Wirtzberger also scored twice.

Havre came back the following day and squeaked by Rapid City 1-0.

The Northstars run came in the fifth inning as Cory Junck drove home Thompson with a single. Thompson led off the inning with a single.

Havre did not have a base runner until the fourth when Solomon ended the no-hit bid with a single. The Northstars had just four hits in the game. The Rapid City pitcher did not walk a single batter.

Doug Ireland pitched all seven innings for the win for Havre. Ireland allowed two hits, walked two and struck out six. Rapid City stranded seven runners five in scoring position.

Three first-inning runs spelled doom for Havre in its fifth game as the Northstars lost 3-2 to Glendive.

Eric Lipp took the loss. Lipp allowed only one earned run and struck out six. He gave up three hits and also walked three.

Wirtzberger walked and scored in first inning and again in the fifth. The Northstar bats remained quiet, with just two hits in seven innings. Junck blasted a double in the sixth and Bobby Bergren hit a single in the fifth.

Havre began the tournament against Minot Thursday. The Northstars gave up three runs in the third inning and one more in the fifth for a 4-2 loss.

Spencer pitched all seven innings and was touched up for 11 hits.

Minot's first baseman delivered the big blow in the third with a bases loaded double, sending three runners home to score. Minot's designated hitter blasted three singles and one double for a perfect 4-for-4 game. Three other Minot batters had at least two hits in the contest.

Havre's two runs came in the fifth inning. Lipp and Jensen, who both walked, scored the runs. Wirtzberger drove in one in the inning with a single. Solomon had the hot bat with a 2-for-3 game.

The Northstars second game of the tournament ended in a lop-sided 10-3 loss to Dickinson.

A seven run sixth inning turned out to be the undoing of the Northstars. Dickinson pounded out six hits in the inning, but used four Havre errors to aide the scoring parade. Dickinson sent 12 men to the plate in the inning.

The Northstars scored once in each of the first, fourth and sixth innings.

Back-to-back-to-back singles in the first by Jensen, Solomon and Thompson loaded the bases for Spencer, who drove in Jensen with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Spencer walked and scored in the fourth. Tyler VanderMars drove in Solomon with a single to account for Havre's run in the sixth inning.

The Northstars also gave up two runs in the third inning and one in the fifth.

Junck took the loss after giving up 10 runs, five earned, and 12 hits. Junck walked one and struck out three.

The Northstars are in action Saturday at home against Medicine Hat at 1 p.m. They will also play Fort MacLeod Sunday at 1 at Legion Field.

 

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