North Stars struggle north of the border

The Havre North Stars American Legion baseball team continued its stretch of eight games in five days with four road games Wednesday and Thursday in Canada.

The North Stars traveled to Medicine Hat Wednesday for a doubleheader, but lost both Northern A District games by the scores of 7-3 and 7-2. Then, Havre paid a visit to Vauxhall Thursday and against one of the toughest teams in the district, the North Stars managed a split, winning the first game 11-1, before dropping the second game by the same score, 11-1.

After winning one of four games in Canada, the North Stars are 3-3 so far this week and overall on the season, they are 14-16, but more importantly, they are 8-6 in the district. But in terms of conference games this week, Havre isn't done, as it will host Lethbridge Saturday at Legion Field for another Northern A doubleheader. The first pitch is set to go out at 2 p.m.

In the first game up in Medicine Hat Wednesday, Brenden Danielson took the ball for the North Stars and did a solid job as the starter, allowing three runs in four innings of work to get a no decision. Yet Havre couldn't muster much offensively, especially in the early going. The North Stars plated a run in the first inning to go up 1-0, but Medicine Hat answered with a run in the first and two more in the third inning.

In the top of the sixth, Havre finally got something going, as Brendan Garden and Kennedy McKay each drove in a run to tie the game up at 3-3. However, four runs in the bottom half of the inning put Medicine Hat up 7-3 and in the top of the seventh, the Knights put the game away.

Garden, Jake Sedahl, Austin Delarosa, Danielson and Ethan Roberts all had hits in the win for the North Stars. Sedahl also scored two runs. Roberts was charged with the loss after surrendering four runs in relief.

In the second half of the doubleheader, the North Stars found it even hard to muster offense, as the Knights held them to just three runs. McKay started the game but gave up three quick runs to Medicine Hat. He ended up going just more than five innings in the loss and gave up a total of seven runs. Havre did manage two runs in the third as both Kelden Sullivan and Caleb Allestad scored, but that was it in terms of offensive production.

In all, the North Stars mustered just four hits, with one each coming from Garden, Sedahl, Danielson and Murphy. Danielson's hit was a triple and was the only extra-base hit of the game for Havre.

Fortunately, for the North Stars, when they took on Vauxhall in the opening game of their conference doubleheader Thursday, their bats finally awoke. Havre exploded for 11 runs on 11 hits in the 11-1 rout. After two innings, the score was 1-0 in favor of the Spurs, but after the North Stars scored four runs in the third and fourth innings, as well as three more in the sixth, the game was over due to the run rule.

Tony Antley had a big day at the plate for the North Stars, going 2-for-4, with a double and four RBI. Sedahl also had two hits, a double and a two RBI, while McKay and Roberts also managed two hits apiece. Gavin Mosbrucker also contributed with a hit and two RBI. Garden pitched in with two hits and scored twice.

Garden also did some stellar work on the mound and after spotting Vauxhall a run in the first, he held them scoreless over the next four innings to get the win. In all, he allowed four hits, one run, one walk and struck out four in five innings. Mosbrucker came on in the sixth to end it.

However, in the second game against the Spurs, the North Stars offense fell off the rails. They failed to get a hit and reached base only on six walks in an 11-1 defeat. The final score was out of hand and the game ended in the fifth inning due to the run rule, but it was close throughout.

Kelden Sullivan drew a walk and scored eventually in the third inning to put Havre in front 1-0. But, Vauxhall answered with two runs in the third and another in the fourth off Antley, the North Stars' starter. Yet, in the bottom of the fifth, the Spurs exploded for eight runs off Antley, who got the loss and Mosbrucker, who came on in relief. Those eight runs were enough to end the game and give Vauxhall the win.

The North Stars are now 14-16 on the season, but will return home with a chance to even their record Saturday against Lethbridge, the only Northern A District opponent Havre has yet to play this season.

After that, there will be 12 district games remaining. Havre will host Vauxhall, Medicine Hat and Lewistown for doubleheaders, while playing doubleheaders on the road against Fort MacLeod, Great Falls and Lethbridge.

The double dip Saturday between the Lethbridge and the North Stars is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Legion Field.