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Chisago Lakes 10, Cambridge-Isanti 0

Jack Walker pitched the best game of the season for the Wildcats so far, allowing just one hit and walking one as the Wildcats shut out the Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets 10-0 in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday, May 9 at Adolph Larson Field in Cambridge.  Walker struck out eight and needed just 62 pitches in the game, which was shortened to five innings because of the ten-run rule.

The Wildcats scored four runs in the second and four more in the third on the way to another double-digit run total.  The Wildcats had just seven hits but took advantage of seven walks and three hit batters by Bluejacket pitchers.  Reece Berner drove in the first two runs of the game with a second inning single.  Logan Thorstad followed with a sacrifice fly, and Collin Hackl singled in another run to give the Wildcats an early 4-0 lead.  In the third, Tyler Drury and Owen Larsen both had run-scoring singles before Larsen and Berner pulled off a double steal, with Berner crossing the plate to make the score 7-0.  Hackl walked to force in another run.  Berner and Caden Gibbs added sacrifice flies, one each in the fourth and fifth innings, to make it 10-0.

Chisago Lakes 5, Cambridge-Isanti 1

In the nightcap, Luke Urhammer allowed just one unearned run on eight hits.  He didn’t walk anyone and struck out seven as the Wildcat beat the Bluejackets 5-1 to complete the doubleheader sweep.  Trae Griffin blasted a two-run homer to left in the bottom of the first inning to give the Wildcats a lead they would never relinquish.  In the fourth, Logan Thorstad doubled to left to drive in two runs, and Collin Hackl followed with a run-scoring single to make it 5-1.  Urhammer allowed two hits over the final two innings of the game, but stayed in control, striking out four batters over those two innings to shut down any Bluejacket thoughts of a rally.

St. Francis 9, Chisago Lakes 2

The good control they had shown in their previous two games eluded the Wildcats when they hosted the St. Francis Fighting Saints on Thursday, May 11.  Four Wildcat pitchers combined to allow eleven hits, walked seven and hit a batter.  Meanwhile, the Wildcats didn’t do much offensively with seven hits, three walks and two hit batters.  They had multiple runners on base in the last five innings of the game, but repeatedly failed to come up with big hits, scoring just twice.  Tyler Drury spoiled the shutout with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, and Caden Gibbs drove in the Wildcats’ other run with a double in the seventh.

Chisago Lakes 13, Cloquet 5

The Wildcats made their trip to Mettner Field in Cloquet last Saturday worthwhile, as they scored five runs in the first and six runs in the seventh to chop down the Lumberjacks 13-5.  Jack Walker started and went 4 2/3 innings for the win.  He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, walked two and struck out six.  Luke Urhammer and Tyler Drury finished up, allowing one run each and striking out two batters apiece.  Four Wildcats drove in a run each as the Wildcats scored five runs in the first – Trae Griffin on a single, Meissner on a based loaded walk, Reece Berner on a single and  Leo Nash on a sacrifice fly.  In the seventh, Gibbs singled to center to drive in the first run of the inning.  Dom Torrez doubled to center to drive in two runs, and Owen Larsen followed with a double to drive in Torrez and make it 11-4.  Two more runs came in on a fielder’s choice followed by a throwing error.

Baseball Banter

The Wildcats (6-7) have just six games left in the regular season.  They will host a doubleheader with the Big Lake Hornets today starting at 4 p.m. at Pat Collins Field.  Tomorrow, Hermantown will head down to Lindstrom for a 4:30 tilt with the Wildcats.  Next Tuesday, May 23, the Wildcats will head west to take on the St. Croix Falls Saints at 5 p.m.  The next day, they will head to St. Francis for a revenge match against  the Fighting Saints, with the game getting underway at 3:30 p.m.   And the Wildcats will finish the regular season on Thursday, May 25, hosting the Forest Lake Rangers at 4:30 p.m.

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