Cold weather for baseball opener

On a day more suited for football, the Hurons opened the baseball season Tuesday with a home doubleheader against Alpena. With only two days of actual outdoor practice, players worked to find their way about the grass and dirt of the field instead of the floor of RCHS gymnasium, where most practices were conducted so far this season. What happened was Huron bats were ready, but predictably the defense could use some more work on the real field.

Rogers City lost the first game 12-0 and the teams played to a 9-9 tie as darkness caused the second game to be called at that point after six innings. Coach Howard Madsen said there is much work to be done, but conceded that cold conditions with a steady wind made for rough going.

“OVERALL I’M very happy with the good things we did. We hit the ball well and executed a few good plays, but we need warmer weather and we will play better,” he said. Cody Wenzel drew the opening game start, and he went the first four innings deadlocked in a scoreless tie. He allowed four hits in four innings.

Alpena broke the tie in a big way in the top of the fifth, spoiling Isaac Freel’s debut with a dozen

runs off the lefty. The Hurons managed only two baserunners in the first game. Wenzel reached on an error and Chris Rhode drew a walk, but neither was able to score.

IN GAME two another big Alpena inning ruined a chance for the Hurons to win before darkness set in. Rogers City scored three in the first, one in the fourth and four more in the fifth to go up 9-1. Several defensive collapses in the fifth inning contributed to eight Alpena runs, as the game ended in a 9-9 tie. Chris Paschke started, working into the fifth inning before Wenzel relieved him. Chris Santini had two of the Hurons’ eight hits.

Rogers City plays in the Sanford-Meridian tournament Saturday, then hosts Hillman Monday at 4:15 p.m.

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