Eskomos Rebound With Huge 11-1 Win

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Apr 27, 2012

Wes Vork-NSO

The Esko Eskomos baseball team rebounded from Thursday’s tough, one run loss to Two Harbors in a big way on Friday. Esko scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to 10 run the visiting Duluth Marshall Hilltoppers and pick up the 11-1 win at home on Friday.

Marshall scored its only run of the game in the top of the first inning when Ian Zenner walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a 2 out single to left. After that first half inning, Eskomo pitcher Jared Mattson settled down nicely and did not allow a run for the remainder of the contest.

Esko did get the bats going early and took a 2-1 lead after just one inning.
Grant Johnson singled, which scored Mattson, who had drawn a walk. Johnson then scored himself on a wild pitch to put the Eskomos up 2-1. With stellar pitching and good defense, Johnson’s run would be all Esko needed on the afternoon to win the ballgame.

Corey McDonnell scored an insurance run for the Eskomos in the second inning, followed by two more in the third by Max Reinertsen and Andrew Hendricks. In the sixth inning Reinertsen stole home to give the Eskomos a 6-1 lead and set his team up for the knockout punch in the sixth inning. In that sixth inning, the Eskomos scored five runs, the last of which Johnson scored after reaching on a line drive double to left.

Meanwhile Mattson found his groove on the mound and held Marshall to three hits on the afternoon. In the complete game performance, Mattson did not allow a hit after the third inning or a base runner after the fourth. He walked two and struck out two while keeping the Hilltoppers off balance all afternoon.

Leading the Eskomos offensively were Johnson and McDonnell, who belted out two hits apiece. Mattson, Johnson, and Reinertsen all scored two runs each in the victory, while Johnson topped the box score with 3 rbi’s on the afternoon.

Esko will return to action on Tuesday when they make a trip up the north shore to take on Silver Bay in a 4:30pm game. Esko is now 3-4 on the season.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com