Northstars face adversity in opening weekend of the year

This past weekend in Kalispell, the Havre Northstars American Legion baseball club finally began the 2023 season with four games across two days. The weekend started rough as the Northstars suffered a 13-3 and a 6-1 loss to the Kalispell Lakers AA team on Saturday. The Northstars then competed in a doubleheader against the Kalispell Lakers A team on Sunday, where they lost, 4-3, before ending their weekend with an 11-2 win.

The Northstars started their season with their 13-3 loss to the Lakers AA team on Saturday. The Lakers struck first as they took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Then after loading the bases to start the third, the Lakers got their bats rolling to take a 6-0 lead.

The Northstars responded in the top of the fourth. After a double from Drake Berreth and a single from Brody Nanini to start the inning, Jevin Jenkins brought them both home with a double to left field. Jenkins then scored himself on a Kalispell error to cut the deficit to 6-3.

However, the Lakers responded in the bottom of the fourth to increase the gap on the scoreboard. At one point in the fourth, the Lakers recorded six straight hits to drive in some more runs and increase their lead to 12-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lakers scored again to increase their lead to 10 runs to end the game early in five innings. At the plate, Nanini went 3-3 for Havre while Jenkins led the team with two RBIs. On the mound, Nanini pitched most of the contest allowing 12 earned runs and 11 hits.

The Northstars continued to face adversity in their 6-1 loss to the Lakers AA team later on Saturday. After several scoreless innings to start the game, the Lakers got rolling in the bottom of the third. Thanks to several walks and hits from the Lakers, Kalispell took a 4-0 lead in the contest.

The Northstars were able to limit the Lakers through the rest of the game. However, the Lakers scored runs in the fourth and the fifth to push their lead to 6-0. Havre finally scored a run in the top of the seventh, but the Lakers recorded the final out before the Northstars could attempt a comeback.

The Northstars had their struggles at the plate in this game as only three players recorded a hit. Lane Kinsella recorded the lone RBI of the game for Havre. Kale Reno and Colter Solomon each pitched three innings for the Northstars. Reno earned the loss as he allowed five earned runs, eight hits and four walks.

The Northstars played better against the Kalispell Lakers A team Sunday morning, but still suffered a 4-3 loss in a walkoff. The Northstars started strong as they took a lead in the top of the first inning. After opening the game with a single, Ezra Pyle scored on a sacrifice fly for the first run of the game.

With a runner on first, Terek Shipp hit a double to left field to drive in the run. Reno followed that up with a double of his own to get Shipp home for a 3-0 lead.

But the Northstars could not hold off the Lakers. In the bottom of the first, a couple Havre errors allowed the Lakers to get on the bases. A sacrifice fly then got a runner home for Kalispell’s first run of the game. The Lakers then scored another run to cut Havre’s lead to 3-2.

Later in the bottom of the third, Kalispell scored to tie the game 3-3. But over the next few innings, both teams struggled to score. The Northstars were unable to take the lead again as the game went to the bottom of the seventh still tied. After getting two runners on to start the inning, a sacrifice fly got the game-winning run home for the Lakers.

At the plate, Shipp went 2-4 with one RBI for the Northstars. He also pitched five innings where he allowed three hits and no earned runs while also recording four strikeouts.

Thankfully for the Northstars, they ended their weekend with an 11-2 win over the Lakers. After Kalispell took a 1-0 lead early in the game, the Northstars got rolling over the next few innings to have an 8-1 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth.

Kalispell scored in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 8-2. But the Northstars could not be stopped as they continued to score to stretch their lead to 11-2. They also continued to play strong defense en route to their first win of the season.

Kinsella pitched all seven innings for the Northstars as he allowed four hits, two earned runs and three walks. Many Northstars excelled at the plate such as Tanner Delarosa who went 3-3 with an RBI. Nanini also played well going 2-5 with three RBIs.

At the end of their opening weekend of the season, the Northstars have a 1-3 record. The Northstars will continue their season this Saturday when they host the Billings Expos AA team at Legion Field. The doubleheader will start at 3 p.m.

Kalispell AA 13, Havre 3

HAV 0 0 0 3 0 X X - 3 7 1

KAL 1 0 5 6 1 X X - 13 14 3

WP - #15

LP - Brody Nanini

Havre Batting - Ezra Pyle 0-2, Drake Berreth 2-3, Brody Nanini 3-3, Jevin Jenkins 1-2, Terek Shipp 1-3, Kale Reno 0-2, Chason Mader 0-1, Colter Solomon 0-2, Tyson Brandon 0-2.

Kalispell AA 6, Havre 1

HAV 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 1 3 1

KAL 0 0 4 1 1 0 X - 6 12 2

WP - #5

LP - Kale Reno

Havre Batting - Ezra Pyle 0-1, Drake Berreth 0-3, Brody Nanini 1-3, Jevin Jenkins 0-3, Terek Shipp 0-3, Colter Solomon 1-3, Kale Reno 0-2, Tanner Delarosa 1-3, Lane Kinsella 0-2, Quinn Elliot 0-1.

Kalispell A 4, Havre 3

HAV 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 3 7 3

KAL 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 - 4 4 0

WP - # 17

LP - Jevin Jenkins

Havre Batting - Ezra Pyle 1-4, Drake Berreth 1-3, Brody Nanini 0-3, Terek Shipp 2-4, Kale Reno 1-2, Colter Solomon 0-2, Chason Mader 0-2, Lane Kinsella 0-2, Tyson Brandon 2-3.

Havre 11, Kalispell A 2

HAV 0 1 2 5 1 2 0 - 11 17 0

KAL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 - 2 4 4

WP - Lane Kinsella

LP - # 22

Havre Batting - Kale Reno 3-5, Drake Berreth 2-4, Brody Nanini 2-5, Jevin Jenkins 1-2, Terek Shipp 1-2, Ezra Pyle 2-3, Colter Solomon 0-3, Lane Kinsella 2-4, Tanner Delarosa 3-3, Quinn Elliot 1-3.