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After starting the season 0-3 and giving up 27 runs in those three games, the Wildcats have won four of their next five to even their record at 4-4.
 
Chisago Lakes 5, Monticello 3
A two-run double by David Kimlinger highlighted a five run third inning and three Wildcat pitchers combined to allow three runs as the Wildcats beat the Monticello Magic 5-3 for their first win of the season.  The game was played at Chisago Lakes on Tuesday, May 1.

Jacob Vangstad started and allowed three earned runs on five hits in four and a third innings.  He walked four and struck out one.  Henry Trost walked two and struck out two in an inning and two thirds of scoreless relief.  Mitch Barrett walked the leadoff hitter in the top of the seventh, but the runner was eventually stranded when Barrett struck out the final batter of the game to secure the win and pick up the save.   
 
Chisago Lakes 3, St. Francis 2 (8 innings)
Connor Wilke’s walk-off single to right in the bottom of the eighth inning drove in Joey Ferris to give the Wildcats a 3-2 win over the St. Francis Fighting Saints in the first game of a doubleheader played at Chisago Lakes High School last Thursday, May 3.  Mitch Barrett pitched all eight innings for the Wildcats to pick up the win.  He allowed two earned runs on ten hits, struck out 11 and didn’t walk anybody.

With the game scoreless after one inning, Connor Wilke doubled to lead off the bottom of the second and advanced to third on Owen Dresel’s groundout.  David Kimlinger was hit by a pitch and stole second.  Adam Hanson’s sacrifice fly to right scored Wilke, and Kimlinger scored later in the inning to put the Wildcats up 2-0 after two.  A run-scoring single by the Saints in the top of the fourth cut the Wildcat lead to 2-1.

The Saints doubled to lead off the top of the seventh.  The second batter singled, and the tying run scored on an error.  After Barrett struck out the next batter, an infield single to put runners on first and third with one out.  The next batter grounded to short, but shortstop Henry Trost cut down the runner at the plate to keep the score tied.  The final batter of the inning grounded out to Barrett and the score remained tied at 2-2.

Ferris walked on a 3-2 pitch to open the bottom of the eighth.  The speedster went all the way to third on an errant pickoff throw by the Saints’ pitcher.  After Barrett struck out, Wilke singled through a drawn-in infield to score Ferris and give the Wildcats an exciting victory.
 
Chisago Lakes 8, St. Francis 1 (5 innings)
The second game of the doubleheader was just a bit less suspenseful.  The top five hitters in the Wildcat lineup combined to go 7-for-12 with five walks and five runs batted in.  Meanwhile, Cole Brophy and Seth Thompson combined to allow one run on just four hits.  It all added up to an 8-1 Wildcat win over the Saints.

Joey Ferris had two hits, including a triple, and two RBIs.  Mitch Barrett also had two hits and drove in two.  David Kimlinger doubled, singled and had an RBI.  And Henry Trost didn’t get a hit, but he set the table with three walks and scored three times.  Brophy started and went four innings to pick up the win.  He allowed one unearned run on four hits, struck out four and didn’t walk anybody.  Thompson finished up with a 1-2-3 fifth inning to close out the win.
 
Chisago Lakes 9, Big Lake 8
The Wildcats spotted the Big Lakes Hornets a 7-0 lead after one inning at home on Friday, May 4.  But Nolan Silver came in to pitch and settled things down, allowing just one run over the next five innings.  Meanwhile, the Wildcat offense came to life and closed the gap.  A two run single in the sixth by Connor Wilke tied the game at 8-8 and the go-ahead run scored on a throwing error by the Hornet catcher.  Henry Trost pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to pick up the save and preserve the 9-8 win for the Wildcats.

With one out in the bottom of the third, Joey Ferris singled, Mitch Barrett was hit by a pitch and Connor Wilke singled to load the bases.  David Kimlinger doubled down the left field line to drive in two.  Dylan Tashjian followed with a run scoring single.  Kimlinger later scored on an error and the Wildcats had cut the lead in half at 8-4. Silver walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth and Trost doubled to put runners on second and third.  Ferris hit a fly ball to right to drive in Silver and Trost scored on Mitch Barrett’s groundout, closing the gap to 8-6.

Silver walked with one out in the bottom of the sixth.  After Trost struck out, Ferris singled and Barrett walked to load the bases.  Wilke then singled to drive in two and move Barrett to third.  Wilke took off to steal second and Barrett scored the go-ahead run when the catcher’s throw ended up in center field.

In his five innings of work, Silver allowed five hits, walked none and struck out two.
 
Forest Lake 10, Chisago Lakes 5
In a matchup of longtime rivals, the Forest Lakes Rangers took a 6-0 lead after the first three innings and went on to beat the Wildcats 10-5 this past Monday, May 7 at Forest Lake.  Nolan Silver and Henry Trost combined for three innings of scoreless relief, but the Wildcats couldn’t completely close the gap before the Rangers scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth and hung onto beat the Wildcats 10-5.

The Wildcats trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the third, but a two-run double and a two-run homer ballooned the lead to 6-0.  A two-run single by Adam Hanson in the top of the sixth cut the Ranger lead to 6-3, but the four runs in the bottom of the inning stretched the lead to 10-3.  In the top of the seventh, a no-out, two-run single by Tyler Johnson cut the lead to 10-5.  But the next three Wildcats went out 1-2-3 and the Wildcats went down to defeat.
 
Baseball Banter
Like their Wildcat softball counterparts, the Wildcats (4-4) will play three doubleheaders over the next eight days.  In the case of each doubleheader, the first game will go seven innings and the second game will go five innings, to save on pitching.  Tonight, the Wildcats travel to Cambridge to take on the Bluejackets in a doubleheader starting at 4:30 p.m.  Tomorrow night, they will welcome the Spring Lake Park Panthers to Chisago Lakes High School for a 7 p.m.  game.  On Tuesday, May 15 the Wildcats will play a doubleheader against their biggest rival, the North Branch Vikings, at Chisago Lakes High School, with the first game getting underway at 4 p.m.  And on Thursday, May 17, the Wildcats will host a 4 p.m. home doubleheader against the Princeton Tigers.  

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