By Chad Koenen

Publisher

A six-run bottom of the third inning proved to be just enough to push the Deer Creek Shockers over the Henning North Stars on Friday night in Deer Creek. 

After the North Stars took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning on back-to-back RBI singles by Nick Lindberg and Eric Fick, the Shockers loaded the bases with just one out when Travis George hit an RBI single to make the score 2-1 in favor of Henning.

Chase Nordlund followed with a bases clearing single to give the Shockers a 4-2 lead, before Connor Dutke smacked a two out double that brought a pair of runs across the plate and gave Henning a 6-2 lead. 

Henning kept the game close in the fourth inning when the North Stars were able to load up the bases with two outs, before Lindberg connected with a two out double to right field to bring three runs across the plate and pull the North Stars to within one run at 6-5. 

Deer Creek gave itself some insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning when they scored a run on a passed ball and another one on a Nolan Coyle sacrifice fly to left field to make the score 8-5 heading into the top of the fifth inning. 

Fick made the score 8-6 in favor of Deer Creek when he brought Garrett Kuhn-Rice across the plate for Henning in the top of the sixth inning. It would be the last run either team was able to get across the plate as the Shockers came away with the 8-6 win. 

The North Stars were led offensively by Lindberg who went 3-5 with four RBIs, while Kuhn-Rice and Fick finished with two hits apiece. 

Deer Creek was led by Colby Shertler who went 3-5, while Evan Lunde and Coyle each finished with two hits in the win for Deer Creek. 

Travis George picked up the win on the mound for Deer Creek as he went six innings and gave up 10 hits, six runs of which five were earned and struck out seven batters. Coyle pitched the final three innings of the game and gave up just one hit and struck out five batters.

Kuhn-Rice took the loss for Henning as he went 3 1/3 innings and gave up eight hits, eight runs of which six were earned and struck out two batters. Fick pitched the final 4 2/3 innings and gave up just two hits, while striking out eight batters in the loss. 

Henning

AB R H     BI

Owen Harig 4 2 1 0

Garrett Kuhn-Rice 4 3 2 0

Nick Lindberg 5 0 3 4

Eric Fick 5 0 2 2

Stephen Lindberg 5 0 1 0

Oscar Lindberg 4 0 1 0

Austin Koep 5 0 0 0

Seth Sansness 4 0 0 0

Kaleb Hammes 4 1 1 0

HITTING- 2B- Stephen Lindberg, Nick Lindberg

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)- Garrett Kuhn-Rice 3.1-8-8-6-2-2, Eric Fick 4.2-2-0-0-1-8

Deer Creek

AB R H     BI

Colby Shertler 5 1 3 0

Evan Lunde 4 2 2 0

Travis George 3 1 1 1

Chase Nordlund 3 1 1 2

Nolan Coyle 4 1 2 1

Ashton Detloff 0 0 0 0

Carl Colburn 3 0 0 0

Mike Blom 1 0 0 0

Conner Dutke 4 0 1 2

Blake Haverkamp 2 0 0 0

Chaz Eckhoff 1 0 0 0

Ben Kreklau 4 2 0 0

HITTING- 2B- Conner Dutke, Colby Shertler

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-k)- Travis George 6.0-10-6-5-1-7, Nolan Coyle 3.0-1-0-0-0-5