Electric Shock: Great Falls sweeps Havre

Havre's Mark Vukasin swings at a pitch during the first game of an American Legion Northern A doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Legion Field. The North Stars were swept by the Great Falls Electrics. Havre is back in action today against the Great Falls Stallions in Great Falls.

The road isn't getting any easier for the Havre North Stars American Legion baseball team as they dropped two more conference games at home on Tuesday.

The doubleheader at Legion Field in Havre was rough all the way around for the North Stars, but this time the two-game slide came at the hands of the undefeated Great Falls Electrics. In game one the Electrics handed the North Stars a 13-1 loss, and in game two the Electrics defeated the North Stars 16-4 in what turned out to be another long seven innings for Havre.

In the top half of the doubleheader the North Stars kept the game tight for three innings, keeping the game knotted at 0-0. But as the game progressed, the Electrics showed the North Stars why they have an unblemished record.

In the remaining four innings of play the Electrics used 10 hits and six Havre errors to earn all 13 of their runs. In the same amount of time the North Stars earned just one hit and one run in the sixth inning. Garreth Bernard had a double in the sixth and later scored on a passed ball. Overall the Electrics had 13 hits and committed just two errors, while the North Stars grabbed just two hits and committed six errors. Colt Young had the second hit for the North Stars.

Brandon Smith was on the mound and pitched seven innings, facing 43 batters. Smith walked four and struck out nine with his 148 pitches thrown.

When the North Stars and Electrics faced off in game two, the results went in a similar direction.

The North Stars came out and grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Bernard grabbed an RBI on a double and was driven in by Kolby Sukut in the following at-bat with a single. But the Electrics earned one run in the second on four hits, and later stretched their lead to 8-2 in the fourth inning on five hits and one North Star error. All seven runs came with two outs.

The Electrics added four more runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh. All eight runs came with two outs recorded in the innings.

The North Stars tried to make the game close in the fourth with two more runs of their own, but 8-4 was as close as they would get. Thurman Holdsclaw got a single and Matt Hanley followed with a base on balls. Justin Jensen then knocked in both runs with a single.

In game two the North Stars put together 10 hits. Holdsclaw led the team with three hits, while Bernard added two hits and an RBI. Jensen also had two RBIs on two doubles to help lead the way, while Sukut had two hits and Chris Vukasin, Young and Hanley all had one hit each.

Bernard was on the mound and gave up 18 hits, while walking four, hitting two and striking out one.

Tuesday's losses added to the North Star's losing streak, bringing the tally to 10 straight conference games and 9-19 overall. Havre is 3-13 in conference play. But Havre will get another shot at turning things around today in Great Falls as they take on the Stallions in a doubleheader. Havre is back at home to host the Tri-County Cardinals on Saturday and the Vauxhall Spurs on Sunday.

Electrics Roll through Great Falls

GF Electrics 13, North Stars 1

Great Falls 000 232 6 – 13 14 2

Havre 000 001 0 – 1 2 6

WP – Tanner Lee; LP – Brandon Smith

Havre – Justin Jensen 0-2, Mark Vukasin 0-4, Brandon Smith 0-3, Garreth Bernard 1-3, Kolby Sukut 0-2, Colt Young 1-3, Chance Pitkanen 0-3, Thurman Holdsclaw 0-2, Spencer Morkrid 0-2

Great Falls – Anthony Bonilla 4-4, Zander Ehnes 1-3 RBI, Justin Pfennigs 1-5, Scott Held 2-5 4RBIs, Dalton Cook 3-4, Derik Powell 0-4, Tyler Pfennigs 1-4 2RBIs, Jayse Mclean 1-4, Sean Egan 1-3

GF Electrics 16, North Stars 4

Great Falls 010 704 4 – 16 18 1

Havre 200 200 0 – 4 10 4

WP – Tyler Pfennigs; LP – Garreth Bernard

Havre – Garreth Bernard 2-4 RBI, Kolby Sukut 1-3 RBI, Chris Vukasin 1-3, Thurman Holdsclaw 3-3, Justin Jensen 3-5 2RBI, Colt Young 1-3, Matt Hanley 1-3

Great Falls – Anthony Bonilla 2-6 2RBIs, Zander Ehnes 1-5 RBI, Justin Pfennigs 2-6 2RBIs, Scott Held 2-4 RBI, Dalton Cook 2-6 3RBIs, Derik Powell 2-4 2RBIs, Sam Wingerter 2-3 2 RBIs, Josh Kakalecik 1-4, Tanner Lee 2-3 3RBIs