CHERRY—The Cherry baseball team took care of business on Thursday night against Moose Lake/Willow River.
The Tigers hit the ball well, fielded the ball almost perfectly, and had a pair of pitchers keep the Rebels to a single run as they came away with the 11-1 win in five innings of play.
“I really like the way we were swinging the bat today,” Tigers head Coach Brian Kemp said. “I hope we can keep playing like this.”
The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Noah Asuma drew a walk and came in to score when Isaac Asuma ripped a double.
Isaac Asuma then came in to score when Noah Sundquist hit an RBI single.
Starting pitcher Noah Asuma gave up a single to Moose Lake/Willow River catcher PJ Frisch in the top of the second, but he came back and struck out the next three hitters to end the top half of the second.
The Tigers could not push a run across after Carl Senarighi hit a single to open up the home half of the second.
The Rebels were able to get a pair of singles in the top of the third with one coming with two outs in the inning and a runner on first.
Reese Bode then came to the plate and hit a single to center field and that sent Hayden Danelski running around the bases.
He rounded third and tried to score but Isaiah Asuma picked up the ball and fired a perfect throw to Mason Heitzman at the plate and he laid down a perfect tag to close out the inning.
“That was one of those plays that you work on in practice every day,” Kemp said. “And today it was perfect.”
The Tigers exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Noah Asuma walked, Isaac Asuma singled, Noah Sundquist singled and with the bases loaded Heitzman laid down a perfect squeeze bunt that scored Noah Asuma and got Heitzman on without a throw to first.
The Tigers weren’t done yet.
Andrew Staples walked to load the bases again and Senarighi drew a RBI walk to add to the Cherry lead.
Next up was Ian Kimmes who came up and ripped a two-run single to add to the Tigers lead.
Isaiah Asuma then hit another single and Carson Brown reached on an error.
Noah Asuma hit a RBI double and Sundquist hit a 2-run double and all of a sudden the game was 10-0 after three innings.
Moose Lake/Willow River loaded the bases on a base hit and two walks in the top of the fourth inning but the Tigers took care of business defensively and closed out the inning with the bases still loaded.
Cherry was able to close out their scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning when Heitzman singled and came around to score when Staples hit a double.
Isaac Asuma came in to pitch the final two innings for the Tigers.
The Rebels picked up a run in the top of the fifth, when Runo Larson reached on an error and came in to score when with the bases loaded Frisch drew a walk.
But that was all that the Tigers were going to give up.
A Isaac Asuma to Staple double play ended the contest by the ten-run rule.
“We are back in action on Monday, when we host Mesabi East and Deer River comes here on Tuesday,” Kemp said. “We will need to come out and keep playing some good ball.”
SOFTBALL
Rock Ridge 3,
Duluth Denfeld 0
DULUTH—The Rock Ridge softball team overcame some defensive miscues on Thursday as they downed Duluth Denfeld 3-0 to pick up another Section 7AAA win.
Taylor Morley got the win in the circle, tossing a three-hitter while striking out 11.
At the plate, Chance Colbert was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Alex Flannigan was 1-2 with an RBI. Anna Westby and Zoey Thyen each added hits.
Rock Ridge returns to the diamond on Monday when they travel to International Falls.
Local News
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