Esko Comes Close But Falls 2-0 to Aitkin In Playoffs

Wes Vork-NSO

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May 30, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

Nathan Engstrom managed to handcuff the Esko baseball team on Wednesday in the Section 7AA baseball opener for both teams. Engstrom gave up just two hits and pitched out of jams in the second and third innings, in leading his Aitkin Gobblers to a 2-0 victory over the Eskomos and a chance to move on in the playoffs.

While Engstrom was handling Esko at the plate, his team needed one good chance against Eskomo pitcher Jared Mattson. Mattson nearly equaled Engstrom by tossing a three-hitter, but one of those hits came from Dean Lynn with two outs in the third inning. Lynn’s single allowed both runs to score and then Engstrom slammed the door the rest of the way.

“I think (this game) was a microcosm of our season,” Esko Head Coach Ben Haugen commented after the game. “Jared pitched a great game; he always keeps us in it. We had chances and Aitkin got the two out hit and we didn’t and that was the difference in the ballgame.”

Despite the loss the future appears bright on the horizon for the Eskomos, who will return nearly all of their pitching and a solid core of underclassman. “We’ve kind of tuned the corner but we haven’t turned it yet. I think we have something going and we need to build on it now,” commented Haugen. We get nearly all of our pitching innings back; we’re really excited about our eighth and ninth grade classes. We had a freshman as our designated hitter tonight and we have another freshman who can pitch and is ready to play and we have a really good group of eighth graders.”

Aitkin will move on to the second round today of the tournament and will play Hermantown which has just one loss on the season.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com