Depleted bullpen sinks Anchors in Duluth

July 3, 2015 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Alexandria Blue Anchors News Release


Duluth, Minn. - The Alexandria Blue Anchors fell to the Duluth Huskies Friday night by a score of 12-5 at Wade Stadium. The Anchors are now 14-24 on the season and 2-1 in the second half.

The Blue Anchors held an early lead starting in the top of the first. Anthony Marks walked with one out and went to second when Josh Merrigan reached on an error. With two outs in the inning, Matt Duce and Kyle Richardson hit back-to-back doubles to give the Anchors a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first, against starter Sean Terres, the Huskies got on the board. He allowed a leadoff walk to Cal Stevenson and he went to third on an Alex Green single. A ground out was enough to score Stevenson and cut the lead down to 3-1.

Duluth got back on the board in the bottom of the third. Alex Wojciechowski doubled with one out and scored a two-out run on Elijah Dilday's two out hit bringing the Huskies within one, 3-2.

Matt Hopfner, one of the Anchors' hottest hitters, doubled in the sixth and came around on Luke Petterson's two-out double extending the lead to 4-2.

Things got ugly for the Blue Anchors' bullpen in the bottom of the sixth. The Huskies put up five runs in the inning. Stevenson had a two-RBI triple to tie the game and Alex Green gave the Huskies the lead with a single. After a pitching change, it did not get better. A wild pitch scored Greene and Elliott Barzilia lifted a sacrifice fly for an RBI putting Alexandria behind 7-4.

Three more runs came in for the Huskies in the seventh. The inning was highlighted by Matt McLaughlin's RBI single and a two-out RBI from Dominic Miroglio putting Duluth up 10-4.

The Anchors got a lone run back in the eighth as Dane Hutcheon singled with one out in the inning. A ground-rule double from Petterson put two in scoring position who hit a sacrifice fly to score Hutcheon and bring the Anchors within five, 10-5.

The bottom of the eighth brought no better luck for the Blue Anchors bullpen. Two more runs came in to score on Dilday's two-run homer giving them the 12-5 win.

Terres got a no-decision pitching four innings allowing two runs on on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts. Taking the loss is Zack Engelken (0-3) who lasted just 1.1 innings surrendering four runs on three hits and a walk while striking out two batters. George Faue finished the game for the Blue Anchors throwing 2.2 innings. He gave up six runs on nine hits, one walk and one punch out.

Minnesota Baseball Academy Player of the Game - Matt Duce (C) - The backstop from Dallas Baptist University finished the game 2-for-4 with a couple of RBI and a run scored. He's batting a very solid .364 this season.



Northwoods League Stories from July 3, 2015


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