Blue Anchors Top Thunder Bay 9-7

July 3, 2013 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Alexandria Blue Anchors News Release


Alexandria, Minn. - The Alexandria Blue Anchors beat the Thunder Bay Border Cats by a score of 9-7 Tuesday night at Knute Nelson Memorial Park. With the first half winding down, the Anchors now have a record of 9-24.

In the top of the first against Anchor starter Chase Rihtarchik, the Border Cats took an early lead. Ty Stetson started the game with a single and moved to second when Keegan Dale bobbled a grounder off the bat of Dylan Becker. Tyler Duplantis singled home Stetson for an early 1-0 lead. After a strikeout, Philip Lyons singled to score Becker and after the half inning, Thunder Bay led 2-0.

Thunder Bay added to their lead in the top of the third when Jason Vosler took a 1-0 Rihtarchik offering over the centerfield fence for a solo homer giving the Border Cats a 3-0 advantage.

The Northwoods League best offense awoke in the bottom of the third against starter Anthony Pastrana. Dale drew a leadoff walk and stole second base. Georgie Salem doubled down the right-field line to bring Dale home for the Anchors' first run of the game. Kris Goodman reached on a bunt single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Andrew Sohn reached on a fielder's choice to score Salem, cutting the deficit to 3-2, and he stole second. Albert Baur just missed hitting a home run when he doubled off the right-center fence, but he drove home Sohn to tie the game at three. Ryan Blanchard stepped up to the plate and drove a 1-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for a two-run home run, giving Alexandria a 5-3 advantage.

The Blue Anchors added on to the lead in the fourth. Right fielder Dalton Leuschke walked and stole second to start the inning before going to third on a single by Dale. After two consecutive outs, a double steal brought home Leuschke and put Dale at second making the score 6-3 in the Anchors favor. Sohn doubled to left bringing home Dale for their seventh run, putting an end to Pastrana's day.

After Rihtarchik left the game due to injury, Zac Custer came on to pitch and walked Stetson to start the fifth inning. A walk to Becker put two runners on for Tyler Duplantis who lined a ball out to center for a three-run shot, tying the game at seven a piece.

Daniel Stoney came into pitch the eighth with the score tied and the bottom of the lineup due up for the Blue Anchors. Leuschke singled to right to start the inning and Dale reached on a sacrifice bunt fielder's choice putting two on and no outs. A bunt base-hit for Salem loaded the base and Goodman grounded a ball into left scoring Leuschke giving Alexandria an 8-7 lead. Sohn grounded into a double play but he brought home Dale making the score 9-7.

Rihtarchik finished the night with four innings pitched allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks with three punch outs. Custer allowed three runs on two hits and a walk without retiring a batter. Brandon Johnson pitched two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and a walk while striking out a batter. Picking up the victory was Scott Sanderson (1-1) as he threw two scoreless, also allowing one walk and a hit with one strikeout. Jose Cardona earned his third save of the year pitching a perfect ninth with one strikeout.

Minnesota Baseball Academy Player of the Game - Ryan Blanchard (LF) - Blanchard, who is sixth in the Northwoods League in hitting with a .363 average, went 2-4 scoring a run and driving in two. His homer was his second of the year.

Notes: Cardona is perfect in save opportunities now in 2013...Sohn now has 17 stolen bases on the season which is the second-highest total in the North Division...With two RBI in the game, Sohn now leads the Anchors with 20 on the year...Salem had his fourth game of the year with at least three hits...Dale scored a season-high three runs...The Blue Anchors look to take a lead in the season series against the Border Cats Wednesday at Knute Nelson Memorial Park...The team will wear green jerseys, to celebrate Summer St. Patrick's Day, which will be auctioned off and all proceeds will go to the United Way...Wednesday's are Photo Night and fans can have their pictures taken with Blue Anchor players and/or coaches...On the mound will be Spencer Koopmans (1-0, 1.50) and game time is 7:05 p.m...The game can be seen live at www.youtube.com/user/NorthwoodsLeague.



Northwoods League Stories from July 3, 2013


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