Since gaining their first pair of wins against Crosby-Ironton last week, the Wadena-Deer Creek baseball team seems to have found its groove as experienced with an explosion of offensive firepower en route to picking up two more wins.
The Wolverines erupted for 12 runs in the first game of the conference doubleheader with Pequot Lakes on May 9 and then used back-to-back dingers by Tom Harthan in the nightcap to complete the sweep of the Patriots.
A six-run first inning set the tone in a game one win as the Wolverines opened up with six hits helped along with three Pequot Lakes errors. Seth Hamman and Jascha Pettit both collected singles to start the fireworks. Derek Neus RBI single and Preston Stearns base hit continued the progress on the base paths.
A Patriot throwing error allowed Ryan Kephart to reach base and scored Pettit. Neu and Stearns scored on fielders choice hits by Aaron Jasmer and Harthan.
Brandon Ohrmundts two-run single closed out the scoring in the stanza for the 6-0 Wolverine lead.
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Pequot Lakes countered with a run in the second inning, but WDC would increase its lead in the top of the fourth inning starting with a lead-off homer by Jasmer. Back-to-back singles by Harthan and Ohrmundt followed, and Pettits two-run single made it 9-1.
Pequot Lakes rallied back in the bottom half of the frame with six runs to pull within two runs at 9-7. The Patriots collected four hits, including two doubles and were aided by a Wolverine error.
Pequot Lakes continued its rally in the fifth to score two runs for a tie ballgame and then added the go-ahead run in the top of the six.
The Patriots 10-9 lead was short-lived as the Wolverines stormed back to take control of the game with three runs in their bottom half of the sixth. Kepharts two-run single and Jasmers RBI double put the Wolverines back up for good at 12-10.
Jasmer got the win for the Wolverines in game one and helped his cause by going 3-for-4 with a home run and double. Pettit and Ohrmundt also collected three hits each.
The nightcap was the Harthan show, as he got the win on the mound for the Wolverines and also went 2-for-3 with two back-to-back home runs and four RBIs in the 7-4 victory.
Down 1-0, the Wolverines erupted in the second inning for three runs as Harthan hit his first homer followed by two walks by Ohrmundt and Zach Maas. Hammans RBI single and Pettits RBI double made it 3-1 Wolverines.
Pequot Lakes scored a run in the bottom of the third but the Wolverines had already tallied three more runs in their top half of the same inning to make it 6-2. Stearns reached on error, Jamer singled and Harthans three-run shot over the right field fence closed out the scoring.
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The Wolverines added the insurance run in the fifth and then held off a late Patriot rally in the sixth to pick up their fourth win of the season.
Morris scored a run in the first four innings and then held on to end the Wolverines win streak with the 4-2 victory on May 11.
The Wolverines were only able to collect one hit in the contest, which came from Aaron Jackson.
Pettit walked, stole second and then scored on a RBI fielders choice by Kephart. Stearns scored the final Wolverine run on a Tiger error.
Neu went six innings for the Wolverines and was hit for the loss.
The Wolverines (4-6 conference, 4-9 overall) have a busy week of diamond action starting with a make-up game with Roseau on Monday. On Tuesday, the Wolverines hosted Detroit Lakes for a conference doubleheader and close out the week with the WDC Baseball Invitational on Friday. The Wolverines are slated to play the Brainerd JV at 4 p.m. at the high school field while Pelican Rapids takes on Browerville/Eagle Valley at the Wadena County Stadium.
WDC at Pequot Lakes on May 9
Wolverines 12, Patriots 10 (Game 1)
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R H E
WDC 6 0 3 0 0 3 0- 12 17 1
PL 0 1 0 6 2 1 0- 10 12 3
WP-Jasmer (WDC)
LP-Szymanski (PL)
WDC
Seth Hamman 2-5, R, BB; Jascha Pettit 3-5, R, 2RBI; Derek Neu 2-5, 2R, RBI; Preston Stearns 2-4, 2R; Ryan Kephart 1-4, 2R, 2B, 3RBI; Aaron Jasmer 3-4, 2R, HR, 3RBI; Tom Harthan 1-3, R; Brandon Ohrmundt 3-4, 2R, 2RBI; Aaron Jackson 1-4
Wolverines 7, Patriots 4 (Game 2)
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R H E
WDC 0 3 3 0 1 0- 7 7 2
PL 0 1 1 0 0 2- 4 7 2
WP-Harthan (WDC)
LP-Szymanski (PL)
WDC
Hamman 1-4, BB, RBI; Pettit 1-4, RBI; Stearns 1-4, R; Kephart 0-3, R; Jasmer 1-3, R; Harthan 2-3, 2R, 2HR, 4RBI; Ohrmundt 1-3, R, BB; Maas 0-3, 2BB
WDC at Morris on May 11
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Tigers 4, Wolverines 2
R H E
WDC 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 2 1 2
MOR 1 1 1 1 0 0 x- 4 4 1
WP-Lembeke (MOR)
LP_Neu (WDC)
WDC
Jackson 1-2, SB; Stearns 0-3, R, SB; Pettit 0-3, R, SB; Kephart 0-3, RBI
