Northstars earn a Redbird split

There's no denying, the Havre Northstars American Legion baseball club has been growing and rising in the Northern A District standings.

Now however, the season is entering the stretch run, and that's why, a walk off win over the Lewistown Redbirds was so big.

Lewistown paid a visit to Legion Field for a district doubleheader Wednesday night, and the first game turned out to be a dramatic win for the Northstars as they knocked off the Redbirds 11-10 in extra innings, which eventually led to a split on the night.

Havre jumped out to an early lead on the Redbirds and took an 8-6 edge into the sixth inning. From there, however, the Redbirds chipped away, scoring a run in the sixth and a game-tying run in the seventh to send the game into extras.

In the top of the eighth, Lewistown went ahead with two more runs, and when it was Havre's turn to bat, the Northstars found themselves trailing 10-8. But Havre rallied and with the bases juiced, Quinn Reno smacked a double to clear the bases, giving the Northstars a walk off victory.

Reno was huge all night for the Northstars, as he went 3-for-4 with five RBIs. Havre's big fifth inning also came by way of RBIs from Tyrel Kjersem, Eli Cloninger, Keldan Sullivan and Trenton Maloughney.

In all, the Northstars belted out 14 hits, with Ethan Roberts, Maloughney and Reno each totaling three hits.

Tony Antley was the winning pitcher for the Northstars, while he, Sullivan and Kjersem combined for seven strikeouts, holding the Redbirds to just seven hits.

While the Northstars were riding high as the windy day turned to night at Legion, the dramatic win in game one did little to phase the Redbirds.

In the nightcap, Lewistown star pitcher Ben Kolar put the brakes on the Havre offense by allowing just one hit and striking out 12 in a 7-0 Lewistown shutout. Kolar actually took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Eli Cloninger broke it up with a single, but it was too little too late as Lewistown broke open a tight game with four runs in the top half of the seventh inning. The redbirds led 2-0 after four and 3-0 after the sixth frame.

Kennedy McKay got the loss for Havre going six and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs, while striking out seven Redbirds.

And while the second game was a tough one for the Northstars, they still did what they needed to do to keep pace in the Northern District standings, as head coach Patch Wirtzberger's club is now a solid 6-4 in league play, and 14-9 overall.

Havre has two important district road doubleheaders upcoming as the Northstars visit Fort Macleod Saturday and Medicine Hat Sunday.

Havre 11, Lewistown 10, 8 inn

Lewistown 020 401 12 - 10 7 4

Havre 004 040 03 - 11 14 4

WP - Tony Antley

LP - Kyle Lee

Havre Batting - Ethan Roberts 3-5, Quinn Reno 3-4, Tony Antley 1-3, Austin Delarosa 0-2, Tyrel Kjersem 0-3, Eli Cloninger 1-4. Keldan Sullivan 2-4, Trenton Maloughney 3-3, Kennedy McKay 1-3.

Lewistown 7, Havre 0

Lewistown 002 201 4 - 7 6 1

Havre 000 000 0 - 0 1 2

WP - Ben Kolar

LP - Kennedy McKay

Havre Batting - Ethan Roberts 0-2, Quinn Reno 0-3, Austin Delarosa 0-3, Tyrel Kjersem 0-3, Eli Cloninger 1-2, Carson Lunak 0-2, Caden Jenkins 0-2, Kennedy McKay 0-2.