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Chisago Lakes 6

North Branch 0

You couldn’t have asked for a better day, and you couldn’t have asked for a better game.

Playing in North Branch last Thursday, the Wildcats and Vikings butted heads for the first time this season, giving the afternoon crowd plenty to cheer about.

It was a pitchers duel early as Derrick Olson and J.J Koerber went back and forth. Both pitchers got their opponents out 1-2-3 in the first before Chisago opened the scoring in the top of the second. With a runner on, Adam Gemuenden drove him in to give the ‘Cats a 1-0 lead. Two innings later, batting in the fourth, the Wildcats added two more on three hits. After Derrick Olson led off the inning with a double, Karl Lee pushed him home with a single. Moments later, a single by Lance Baumgard plated Lee, pushing the Wildcat lead to 3-0.

North Branch did their best to stay close. Batting in the bottom of the fourth, the Vikings put just their second base runner of the game on the base paths in Matt Warren. Warren advanced all the way to third but could not score, keeping it a 3-0 game. That’s because Olson wouldn’t give in. The senior fanned four Vikings in the first four innings, allowing just two hits. More importantly- no walks.

“Derrick pitched a great game,” said Pat Collins, Chisago Lakes head baseball coach. “He was in total command the whole way.”

Batting with a 3-0 lead, the Wildcats padded their lead in the fifth with one more run. This time it was Kyle Collins who came through. The senior catcher poked a single through the infield, scoring Zack Stimson from third. Still, Koerber minimized the damage by pitching out of the jam, stranding two runners on base, keeping the score at 4-0.

“J.J (Koerber) pitched well. Chisago Lakes is a very fine hitting team and they hit the ball around pretty good getting nine hits for the game,” remarked Larry Schlagel, North Branch head baseball coach. “We are very pleased with the composure J.J showed on the mound. He could have become easily rattled but he didn’t. Granted Chisago Lakes hit the ball well at times, it did not phase him.”

Koerber and company continued to keep the Wildcats at bay until the top of the sixth when Chisago opened things up. Batting with two outs, a triple, walk and double drive in the final two runs of the game as the ‘Cats upped their lead to 6-0. Once again, Collins got the big hit. After a triple by Stimson, Tony Mansk followed with a walk. Then with runners on second and third, Collins doubled to deep centerfield, scoring both runners.

“Chisago Lakes got some big hits when they needed to,” commented Schlagel. “That is the sign of a very good team. We had some chances to score but just couldn’t get that extra hit when we needed it.”

Despite packing the bases with two runners in the bottom of the sixth with one out, Olson got the Vikings 4-5 hitters to finish the inning and keep the shutout in tact. Jake Kuehl then came on in the seventh to finish the deal. Once again, North Branch got two runners on base but failed to score.

For the game, Chisago Lakes finished with 10 hits while the Vikings banged out five.

Olson picked up the win for the Wildcats, allowing just four hits over six innings and striking out six. Koerber suffered the loss for North Branch.

The win improved the Wildcats season record to 4-0. With the loss, the Vikings dropped to 1-3 on the year.

Chisago Lakes 6

North Branch 0

R H

Chisago Lakes 010 212 0 6 10

North Branch 000 000 0 0 5

Box scores (unofficial)

Chisago Lakes-

Stimson 1-3, 2 R

Unger 1-3, RBI

Mansk R

Collins 2-4, 3 RBI

Der. Olson 1-3, 2 R

Gemuenden 1-3, RBI

Lee 1-2, RBI, R

Claeson 1-1

Baumgard 1-4, RBI

Dibble 0-4

Jones 1-3

WP: Olson

6 IP, 6 K, BB

Kuehl

IP, K, BB

North Branch box score

was not submitted

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