Holiday weekend unkind to the Comets with three losses

Even though the Havre Comets spent their Fourth of July in Vauxhall, Alberta, there was no shortage of fireworks. Unfortunately, it was the Vauxhall Spurs providing most of them.

Vauxhall roughed up Havre pitching for 31 runs and 33 hits in two games to pick up a pair of key Northern District wins.

With both teams fighting to make the Northern District tournament, the Spurs dealt the Comets a serious blow to their tourney hopes with the win.

In game one, Vauxhall roughed up Comet starter Austin Small, scoring 13 runs in three innings off of him. Vauxhall scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back.

The Spurs chased Small after three innings, cranking out 13 hits off him. The Havre defense didn't help Small too much, committing three errors in the first three innings, leading to four unearned runs.

The Comets managed just two hits in the game.

In the nightcap, Vauxhall broke open a 5-4 game, scoring eight runs in bottom of the fifth to take a 13-4 lead.

Havre grabbed an early 2-0 led in the top of the first as Richard Jarvis opened with a single and later scored on Mike Olson single. Josh Lowe added an RBI single in the inning.

Vauxhall answered with three runs of its own in the bottom half the inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Havre rallied in the third inning as McLain led of with a walk and Small doubled to start the inning. McLain scored as Tyson Anderson grounded into a fielder's choice, while Olson drove in Small with a sacrifice fly.

But that would be the Comets' last lead of the game. Vauxhall started to get to Comet starter John Christian, scoring two runs in the fourth inning and eight in the fifth to take a 13-4 lead.

McLain came in relief to try slow the rally, but the Spurs picked up a pair of runs on in the sixth to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule.

Christian took the loss, surrendering 13 runs on 14 hits. However, thanks to five Comet errors only six of the runs were earned.

Olson led Havre with a hit and two RBIs. Lowe, Jarvis, Small and Josh Morse added hits for Havre.

On Saturday, the Great Falls Sparkies handed the Comets a tough 6-5 loss in a rain-delayed game. The Comets scored four runs in the first inning, but a lengthy rain delay ended the momentum. After the hour-long delay, Great Falls scored six runs off of Comet starter Sean Peterson in the bottom half of the first.

Peterson settled down to shut out the Sparkies the rest of the way, but the Comets couldn't overcome the two-run deficit despite pounding out 13 hits in the game. Havre stranded 15 runners on base and only managed one more run after the four-run first inning.

Scott Ladenburg led the Comets with three hits, while Bryden Vukasin and Morse added two hits each.

The Comets return to action Wednesday as they host the Great Falls Stallions in a Northern District doubleheader at 3 p.m.

Saturday

Great Falls 6, Havre 5

Havre Comets 400 000 1 - 5 13 0

Great Falls Sparkies 600 000 x - 6 8 5

Sean Peterson (LP) and Josh Morse; Jared Jacobson (WP) and D.C. Dobson.

COMETS HITTING - Josh Morse 2-5, Richard Jarvis 1-3, Austin Small 0-4, Mike Olson 1-4, Jess McLain 1-3, John Christian 1-4, Bryden Vukasin 2-3, Tom Knudson 0-3, Tyson Anderson 1-1.

SPARKIES HITTING - Tyler Fayden 1-4, Jake Tucker 1-3, Zack Semenza 2-3, Jared Jacobson 1-3, Levi Stubbs 0-2, D.C. Dobson 0-2, Jake Meierhoff 2-3, Ryan Haman 0-2. Cody Dobson 1-3

2B - Olson, C. Dobson.

3B - none

HR - none

Sunday

Vauxhall 16, Havre 1

Havre Northstars 000 01 - 1 2 4

Vauxhall Spurs 445 30 - 16 17 1

Austin Small (LP), Tom Knudson (4) and Josh Morse

COMETS HITTING - Richard Jarvis 1-2, Jess McLain 1-2 (RBI), Mike Olson 0-3, Tyson Anderson 0-2, John Christian 0-2, Bill Siebrasse 0-1, Scott Ladenburg 0-1, Josh Morse 0-1, Bryden Vukasin 0-1, Sean Peterson 0-1.

SPURS HITTING - not available

2B - McLain

3B - none

HR - none

Vauxhall 15, Havre 5

Havre Comets 202 001 - 5 5 5

Vauxhall Spurs 300 282 - 15 16 2

John Christian (LP), Jess McLain (4) and Josh Morse.

COMETS HITTING - Richard Jarvis 1-3, Jess McLain 0-2, Austin Small 1-2, Tyson Anderson 0-2 (RBI), Mike Olson 1-2 (RBI), Josh Lowe 1-1 (RBI), Sean Peterson 0-3, Josh Morse 1-3 (RBI), Scott Ladenburg 0-1, Bryden Vukasin 0-1.

SPURS HITTING - not available

2B - Small

3B - none

HR - none