North Stars busy at Billings tourney

A busy weekend of baseball didn't start out as planned for the Havre North Stars American Legion baseball team.

On Thursday afternoon, the North Stars began a four-game stretch at the Aarons Tournament in Billings with a 18-2 loss to the

Havre's Jace Kato swings at a pitch during an American Legion baseball game earlier this month between Havre and the Medicine Hat Knights. The North Stars are in Billings for a tournament which has them playing four games through Saturday and possibly more on Sunday. Havre doesn't play at home against until June 29.

Class A Billings Cardinals. The tournament is co-hosted by the Cardinals, and Billings' other Class A power, the Billings Blue Jays.

Against the hard-hitting Cardinals, the North Stars got a 2-for-3 performance from Chris Vukasin, a 2-for-3 performance from Spencer Morkrid and a 2-for-3 performance from Thurman Holsdclaw at the plate.

After playing mainly Northern District games the first two months of the season, the North Stars are in Billings to face quality competition from the east and south.

Havre has two games today, starting with Gillette, Wyo., tonight at 5 p.m. The North Stars will get right back on the field with a second game tonight against the Blue Jays. That game is set to start at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the North Stars will take on the Class A Bozeman Spikes, then will be placed into a bracket-style tournament on Saturday night and Sunday. Where the North Stars end up and who they play in the bracket will be determined by their overall record tonight and Saturday.

After sweeping the Medicine Hat Knights at home last Sunday, the North Stars are now in the midst of a lengthy road trip.

Havre will return from Billings on Sunday, then embark on an eight-game week, which starts with league games at Fort MacLeod and Lethbridge. Next weekend the North Stars will go back to tournament play as they attend the Galletin Valley Open in Three Forks.

The North Stars (7-3, 7-7) don't play at home again until June 29 when they host the Tri-County Cardinals in a Northern A doubleheader.