Huskies Swing the Bigger Sticks, Sweeping Badlands in Monday Doubleheader

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Huskies Swing the Bigger Sticks, Sweeping Badlands in Monday Doubleheader

July 8, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Duluth Huskies News Release


DULUTH, MN - The Duluth Huskies emerged victorious in both seven-inning doubleheader games against the Badlands Big Sticks, winning 11-3 and 5-2, respectively.

The doubleheader came as a result of a rainout in Dickinson, North Dakota, on the 20th of June when the Huskies were in town. For game one, Duluth sent out Sean Waits for his Northwoods League debut. The McLennan Community College redshirt freshman pitched a scoreless first inning, kicking off the game with a swinging strikeout and working around a one-out single to finish the first frame.

Duluth wasted no time against recent all-star selection Ismael Quintero, with Ethan Cole singling to start the offense with one out. He was followed by an error induced by Ethan Surowiec, allowing both men to remain safely on the basepaths. Nate Vargas roped a single to center, scoring Cole and advancing Surowiec to third. The latter came around to score on a ringing single off the bat of Reagan Reeder to plate the second Huskies run against Quintero.

Quintero pitched a scoreless second, but ran into additional trouble in the third. With two outs, Noah Furcht walked and was followed promptly by Nate Vargas' second single of the game. Reagan Reeder then absolutely pummeled a pitch to left field, forcing it out of the confines of Wade Stadium for a three-run homer. That shot made it 5-0, Duluth.

The Huskies didn't finish it there, with another run coming across in the fourth thanks to A-B-C baseball. Kade Thompson doubled, and was then moved over to third by an Elijah Fairchild flyout and tag, before scoring on an RBI groundout by Rowan Kelly.

In the fifth, the wheels fell off for the Big Sticks. Ethan Surowiec singled to lead off the inning, and was followed with one out by Nate Vargas and Reagan Reeder walks. With the bases juiced, Jake Downing wore a hit-by-pitch to drive in the seventh Huskies run of the afternoon. Kade Thompson singled to center, driving in both Vargas and Reeder. Elijah Fairchild became the second Husky to be plunked when he was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. He was followed in the parade by a Rowan Kelly bases-loaded walk to drive in the tenth run of Duluth's offensive afternoon.

Ethan Cole grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Thompson, to make it 11-0 Duluth before the inning finally came to a close.

In the top of the seventh, the Huskies turned to Joe Gizzi. He struggled initially, giving up three runs after four walks and two hits, but ended the game with a flyout by Badlands first baseman Gavyn Schlotterback to Ethan Surowiec in right field. The Huskies took the first game of the doubleheader, 11-3. Six scoreless innings by Sean Waits earned the second-half rookie his first win of the campaign.

Thirty minutes later, game two kicked off, with the Huskies as the designated away team and Badlands acting as the home team. This was to simulate the rainout game from June 20th, which would have otherwise been hosted in Dickinson, North Dakota.

The Huskies again struck first, this time in the top of the second inning. Paul Contreras bolted a baseball to deep left-center field, making it 1-0 Huskies in an instant. It was the first home run for the Cal State Fullerton outfielder, whose pop was hailed when he joined the ballclub.

The Big Sticks fought back, however, with a run of their own in the bottom of the second. A Jonas Salk sacrifice fly scored Rene Galvan, tying up the game heading into the third.

Badlands would take their first lead of the doubleheader with another sacrifice fly, this time when second baseman Ryker Schow sent home his infield companion, third baseman Shane Miller. As it so often has this season, being behind in the middle of a game awoke the Duluth bats immediately.

In the top of the fourth, Paul Contreras singled with two outs, and was followed swiftly by Jake Downing's infield hit. They both scored when Kingsley Guthrie shot a ball into left field, retaking the Huskies' lead by a 3-2 score.

Jackson Smith, the opening day starter-turned-reliever entered for Duluth and pitched brilliantly in a shutdown inning, working around traffic for a scoreless fourth inning of work.

Duluth added on in the fifth, with a leadoff walk by Tyler Palmer resulting in A-B-C baseball again. It was capped off by an RBI groundout to short off the bat of Nate Novitske, his first run batted in of the doubleheader. Again in the sixth, the Huskies plated an insurance run, with Contreras delivering the RBI groundout to score Noah Furcht.

Smith continued his great work, twirling a trio of 1-2-3 innings in the fifth, sixth, and seventh to seal the Huskies win and earn him his first save of the season and second in a Huskies uniform. The Huskies swept the doubleheader by the final score of 5-2 in the second game.

On Deck:

Duluth goes for the full series sweep tomorrow against Badlands at 6:35 p.m Central Time. After that, they play another doubleheader against the Thunder Bay Border Cats on Wednesday, and round out the homestand with a pair against the Bismarck Larks on Thursday and Friday.



Northwoods League Stories from July 8, 2025


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