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The Wildcats improved their record to 5-0 with two conference wins and by thrashing two non-conference opponents in a doubleheader last Saturday. The Wildcats continued to win despite losing first baseman Riley Doriott for the season and right fielder Jeff Sargeant for a couple of weeks.

Chisago Lakes 2, Benilde-St. Margaret's 1

Joey Reed singled in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Wildcats a 2-1 win over the Benilde-St. Margaret's Red Knights last Tuesday, April 13 at Chisago Lakes. Reed also struck out 12 and allowed just two hits to pick up his second win of the season.

The teams played scoreless ball through six innings. A Red Knight batter walked with one out in the top of the seventh. Reed struck out the next batter. The next batter singled to right, the ball got past the right fielder and the runner scored all the way from first. Reed struck out the final batter of the inning to limit the damage.

In the bottom of the inning, Tyler Rivard reached on an error. Steve Ramberg laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to move Rivard to second. Cody Bergquist singled to drive in Rivard and tie the game at 1-1. Kyle Buchanan singled to move Bergquist to second. After Tyler Henderson struck out, Reed singled to drive in Bergquist with the winning run.

Reed and Travis Ongstad were both two-for-three in the game, and Ongstad and Henderson each had a double. In his first two starts this year, Reed struck out 20 batters in just ten innings of work.

"Joey was absolutely dominating in this one," said Wildcat head coach Pat Collins. "He was throwing in the low eighties and keeping the ball down around the knees, making him almost unhittable. And coming into the seventh down one, Cody Bergquist showed why we have a lot of faith in him as a ballplayer. He came to the plate and delivered the big hit that tied the game and looked confident doing it."

Chisago Lakes 8, St. Louis Park 1

The Wildcats broke open a close game with five runs in the fourth inning on their way to an 8-1 win over the St. Louis Park Orioles last Thursday, April 15 at St. Louis Park. Travis Ongstad went the first six innings for the win.

Tyler Henderson led off the fourth with a single. One out later Brian Eichten singled. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Henderson scored on Jeff Sargeant's grounder, with Sargeant reaching safely. Eichten stole third and scored on Ongstad's single. Tyler Rivard then broke the game open with a two-run double to put the Wildcats up 4-1. One out later, Cody Bergquist put the final touch on the big inning by driving in Rivard with a single.

The Wildcats scored two runs in the fifth without the benefit of a hit, and Eichten walked with the bases loaded to drive in the game's final run in the sixth.

Ongstad struck out seven, walked four and allowed just three hits and one unearned run in his six innings of work. Bergquist, Kyle Buchanan, Henderson and Ongstad had two hits apiece for the Wildcats. Henderson also walked twice, reaching base all four times he came up to the plate.

"The Orioles are actually a pretty good team," said Collins. "They have a nice group of infielders. Travis Ongstad pitched an absolute beauty of a game for us. He held things together when the defense made several errors behind him in the first couple of innings, allowing just one unearned run. He's got a lot more confidence this year. I was thinking of taking him out after five innings. But when he came off the field after five, he said 'I want to go another one.' He wanted to go out for the seventh, too, but I wanted Cody to get in an inning of work. And it's hard to keep out offense down for a whole game. Our hitters were patient yet confident and eventually broke things open."

Chisago Lakes 14, Duluth Central 1 (five innings)

Travis Ongstad homered and drove in four runs and Joe LaBarre went three-for-three with two RBIs as the Wildcats throttled Duluth Central 14-1 in the first game of a doubleheader last Saturday, April 17 at Chisago Lakes in a game shortened to five innings because of the ten-run rule. Tyler Rivard pitched a complete game to pick up the victory, allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out four and walking none. Joey Reed singled, walked twice, stole a base and scored three runs in four plate appearances. Brian Eichten was two-for-three with a stolen base and two runs scored.

Chisago Lakes 17, St. Croix Falls 1 (5 innings)

Kyle Buchanan drove in four runs in the second inning with a double and a single, and Cody Bergquist and Joey Reed combined for a one-hitter as the Wildcats rolled over their second opponent of the day, pounding St. Croix Falls 17-1 last Saturday at Chisago Lakes. A St. Croix Falls batter broke up Bergquist's bid for a no-hitter with an infield single to lead off the fourth.

There were hitting stars a-plenty for the Wildcats in this one. Brian Eichten had a huge game. He drove in two runs with a first inning double. In the nine-run second, he drove in three runs with a home run to deep left center field that looked like it went over 400 feet. Bergquist had two doubles, two walks and scored four runs. Tyler Henderson had a single, double and an RBI, and Reed and Travis Ongstad had two hits and one RBI apiece.

"What can you say about a couple of games like this," said Collins. "We did what we needed to do against a couple of non-conference opponents as we head into a tougher part of our schedule." The Wildcats host Columbia Heights tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. and then head to Fridley next Tuesday to take on the Tigers at 4:30 p.m.

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