North Stars getting busy

The first month of the season was slow for the Havre North Stars American Legion baseball team, but starting this Saturday, the schedule for the boys of summer will start picking up.

The North Stars, who are 1-4 on the young season, played a much lighter May schedule than in year's past. Of those five games, only one has been at home, so when the Havre hosts the Fort MacLeod Royals Saturday at Legion Field, it will be the first game there in almost a month. The doubleheader between Northern A District foes has a start time set for 5 p.m.

"We are really looking forward to it," North Stars head coach Dick Fuzesy said. "We know how important these games are. Last year, we started a little slow and got behind and then we were battling to show we were better than our record. So if we could come home and get a sweep, that would be great and would really, I think set the tone for our conference schedule."

While the North Stars come into the game with an overall record of 1-4, they are 1-1 in the Northern A, meaning a sweep of the Royals, would send Havre into its district doubleheader Monday, on the road in Lethbridge, with a record of 3-1. The North Stars then have another district doubleheader on the road Tuesday against the Lewistown Redbirds. The double dip in Lethbridge will start at 5:30 p.m., with the first pitch the next night scheduled to go out at 5 p.m.

"Obviously with so many games so close like this, it's an important stretch," Fuzesy said. "And with the next four on the road, it's really going to be important for us to take care of business at home. But honestly, I don't know a whole lot about Fort MacLeod, I just know they have a new coach, so we will see."

The North Stars will be buoyed in the contest by catcher Jake Sedahl, who missed some time early in the season. Sedahl, who has been the top hitter for Havre in each of the past two seasons, leads an offense that also features Ethan Roberts, Brendan Garden, Brenden Danielson, Trey Murphy, Kennedy McKay, Tony Antley and Austin Delarosa. Other contributors for the North Stars will be Brady Ophus, Gavin Mosbrucker, Cody Rennick, Calvin White, Evan Davison, Caleb Allestad and Kelden Sullivan.

In terms of the pitching staff, the North Stars will send out Garden for the opening game against the Royals, followed by either Danielson or Delarosa. McKay and Antley are other options to pitch as well.

"Brendan Garden, hs has been doing really well for us on the mound," Fuzesy said. "He has been really solid, but our other guys have been doing a good job, too. We just have everyone at full strength and so I am excited to see what we can do."

Following their two games with the Royals, Havre will face Lethbridge in Canada Monday and Lewistown Tuesday. That all precedes the annual Havre Jamboree, which will be play at Legion Field June 8-11.