Northstars battle Great Falls, in a marathon game, again

The season may still be in its infancy for the Havre Northstars American Legion baseball team, but that didn't stop last Wednesday's game in Great Falls from turning into undoubtedly one of the most exciting games of the season.

The Northstars paid a visit to the Electric City Wednesday to take on the Chargers AA squad, a team Havre beat one week earlier. This time around, in another non-conference matchup, Chargers won a wild one, 18-17 thanks to a run in the bottom of the 10th inning.

In a game that featured 35 runs, 33 hits and eight errors, the Northstars trailed by as many as six runs following a nine-run explosion by the Chargers in the bottom of the fifth, which put them in front 15-9. Yet, the Northstars answered with seven runs of their own in the top of the sixth and grabbed the lead back, 16-15, on an RBI single by Tony Antley.

An error in the bottom of the seventh by the Northstars allowed the Chargers to score two runs in the inning, which gave them a 17-16 edge. But, in the top of the eighth, Antley came through in the clutch again, ripping a double to center and scoring Ethan Roberts to tie the game at 17-17. Eventually, the game went to extra innings and after Havre was held scoreless in the top of the 10th, Carson Lunak allowed a run to Great Falls, which gave the Chargers the victory and stuck him with the loss. Brennen Clemments was credited with the win for the Chargers.

In what can only be described as a slugfest, six different Northstars managed at least two hits and leading the way was Quinn Reno, who went 4-of-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Antley also had a big day at the plate, finishing with a game-high five RBIs, while also finishing with three hits and two runs. Additionally, Roberts, Kennedy McKay, Lunak and Austin Delarosa all pitched in with two hits. Caleb Allestad, Ethan Carlson and Eli Cloninger all added one hit each as the Northstars finished the game with 18.

McKay drove in two runs in the loss; Lunak, Allestad, Carson and Cloninger were all right behind with one RBI each. Seven total players managed at least one RBI and 11 different Northstars crossed the plate and scored at least once.

Following the loss, the Northstars are now 4-2 on the season. Havre will be back in action this Saturday when the Northstars will host Fort MacLeod for a Northern A District doubleheader. The first pitch at Legion Field is set to go out at 2 p.m.