Red Lake upended by Blackduck 22-5

Blackduck passed a pair of stern tests last week and appears to be the team to beat in the area baseball scene. The Drakes enter this week’s action with an 11-0 record and the No. 11 ranking in the state’s Class A poll. They played at Kelliher-Northome Monday and host Nevis Thursday in a doubleheader.

A week ago the Drakes squared off with defending sub-section champion Cass Lake-Bena and this time Blackduck overpowered the Panthers 11-1.

Cody Bergquist (3-0) went the distance on the mound and allowed only two hits in the 5-inning contest. Each team scored a single run in the first inning but Blackduck erupted for 10 in the lower fifth to claim the victory.

Trey Volk had a triple, two singles, three RBI and scored two runs. Cody Bergquist ripped a single and a double and Luke Binkley smacked a pair of singles.

The Drakes also needed only five innings to upend Red Lake 22-5. Lucas Krabbenhoft earned his third mound victory in as many decisions with a route-going performance.

Blackduck pounded 17 hits. Volk had five RBI, scored four runs and ripped a pair of triples and a single. Bergquist smashed four hits, scored four runs and had four RBI. Shane Fenske added three hits, three runs and drove in three while Binkley had a single and a triple and scored twice.

Last Thursday Blackduck swept Laporte 29-0 and 18-1. Aaron Nissen (1-0) tossed a no-hitter in the opener while Binkley and Volk had three hits and Nissen and Brandon Beck two.

Matthew Patch pitched the second game and allowed only four hits. Nissen and Beck each contributed a pair of hits.

Blackduck capped its week with a 19-9 victory over Bagley. Michael Dexter improved to 3-0 on the mound while the offense erupted for 10 runs on 10 hits in the opening stanza. Volk, Dylan Weisert, Dexter and Aaron Nissen each pounded three hits and Bergquist had two.

Cass Lake-Bena is 6-3 after splitting two games last week. The Panthers lost to Blackduck and 5-4 to Pine River before defeating Red Lake 12-2 and Laporte 31-2.

Pine River scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to nip CL-B but last Thursday the Panthers used a 5-run sixth to close down Red Lake. Chad Wittner had four hits while Caleb Fisher contributed three. Wesley Moe earned his third pitching victory.

Cass Lake-Bena used a 14-run first inning to thump Laporte. Daven Staples and Fisher each had three hits.

The Panthers visit K-N Thursday and host Nevis on Friday.

Red Lake dropped to 0-3 after falling to Blackduck and CL-B while Kelliher-Northome enters this week 3-5. In recent play the Mustangs stopped Lake of the Woods 6-1, dropped a doubleheader 12-2 and 20-8 at Nevis and were edged 17-16 by Pine River.

Bagley went 1-2 last week, stopping Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 12-3 but losing 12-2 to Nevis and 19-9 to Blackduck.

Laporte earned its first win of the season when it blanked WHA 5-0. The Wildcats also were swept by Blackduck and lost to CL-B.

Autumn Brunelle set a Cass Lake-Bena record last week when she recorded her 293rd strikeout during a 4-3 softball win over Nevis. The senior, who broke Carri Jones’ record established in 1998, begins this week’s action with 308.

“Autumn has been consistent and has worked on her game throughout her career,” said CL-B coach Rod Benson. “She has been our ace for at least the past three years and has improved each year.

“Her location has become much better and she also is able to throw strikes with her change of speeds. Autumn has developed into a fine pitcher.”

The Panthers went 2-1 last week to improve to 6-2 overall. After toppling Nevis they lost 10-0 to Pine River and downed Laporte 8-6.

CL-B hosted Kelliher-Northome Monday, visits WHA Tuesday and entertains Laporte on Thursday.

In other reported area softball games last week Blackduck lost 9-8 to Indus and defeated K-N 11-4, Bagley dropped a 15-11 decision to Lake Park-Audubon and K-N fell 21-4 to Littlefork-BF.

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