The Wahpeton Huskies have kept things close against top competition to begin the baseball season, losing a pair of Eastern Dakota Conference games against Fargo Davies and Grand Forks Red River.
The Huskies began the spring season April 14 at Davies, dropping a 5-2 contest against the Eagles. Rylan Flack took the hill for Wahpeton, allowing two unearned runs across five innings. The righty scattered four hits while striking out nine. He did not issue a walk.
Both teams tallied six hits. Wahpeton leadoff man Caden Hockert went 1-for-3 with a double, and Cayson Pinsonneault followed him in the lineup with a 2-for-4 night that included two RBIs. Aiden Hajek, Ryan Braun and Flack each recorded a single.
Davies freshman Mason Sinner earned the win. Sinner tossed four shutout innings, allowing two hits and four walks while fanning eight. Eagles sophomore Tucker Kosen fired the final three frames, allowing four hits, two walks and two earned runs. Kosen struck out four batters.
Game two at Davies was suspended due to a power outage with the Eagles leading 10-2 in the third.
Wahpeton opened the home slate Thursday, April 16 against Red River. The Roughriders rallied with four runs in the seventh, and held Wahpeton scoreless in the home half.
Hockert shined atop the order for Wahpeton, batting 3-for-4 with a triple, a stolen base and two runs. Flack added a pair of singles and Riley Jones recorded two RBIs. Wahpeton tallied nine hits in the loss.
Aiden Hajek drew the start for the Huskies, working 4 1/3 innings and surrendering three earned runs. The senior righty allowed six hits and two walks while striking out five. Hockert was tagged with the loss, firing 2 2/3 innings and allowing four earned runs. The senior righty walked two and fanned one.
Red River racked up 11 hits, led by a 3-for-5 performance from Alexander Seaver in the No. 3 hole. The senior scored three times and drove in a run. Camden Irion doubled and plated three runs in the leadoff spot, and Gabe Schauer belted a double while scoring twice.
Schauer started on the mound, allowing seven hits and five earned runs through four frames. The junior struck out seven and issued one walk. Senior hurler Zander Waind was excellent in relief, earning the win with three scoreless innings. Waind allowed two hits and a walk while striking out two.
Wahpeton (0-2) hosts Fargo North at 5 p.m. Friday in a doubleheader on AM 1450 and KBMW News Live YouTube. Robert Wanek and Brady DeVries have the call.