Norse nine split against DC foes
Whitehall’s Chase Blaha threw to first in an attempt to get a double play during their game against Blair-Taylor last week. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
A lopsided win was followed by a loss as the Whitehall baseball team split two Dairyland Conference games last week.
The Norse took control of their game against Blair-Taylor in the third inning on Thursday. It was that same inning, however, that they surrendered control to Melrose-Mindoro on Friday.
Whitehall entered this week with a 6-5 record before playing at Alma Center Lincoln on Monday and Independence/Gilmanton on Tuesday. The Norse will host Cochrane-Fountain City on Thursday before welcoming Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran this coming Tuesday and Pepin/Alma next Thursday.
Whitehall 12 B-T 2
A four-run third inning got Whitehall going and they didn’t let up.
The Norse trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the third before four straight Whitehall batters reached base and scored. The rally started with a walk earned by Brayden Lisowski before Aidan Sonsalla singled and Brock Sluga doubled, giving Whitehall the lead. Chase Blaha, Devon McCune and Eric Kleinhans then singled in consecutive at-bats as Whitehall went ahead 4-1.
The Norse added three more in the fourth as Luke Beighley led off with a double before a walk by Lisowski. Aidan Sonsalla followed with a single to load the bases. Sluga hit into a fielder’s choice, with Beighley out at home before Blaha struck out. The fear that Whitehall would waste the opportunity went away quickly, however, as McCune tripled in all three runs home as put his team ahead 7-1.
After Whitehall scored again in the bottom of the fifth, B-T got one back in the top of the sixth. The Wildcats wouldn’t have a chance to bat again, however, as the Norse scored four in the bottom of the sixth to end the game by the mercy rule.
The first four batters — Sluga, Blaha, McCune and Kleinhans — all reached base and scored in the inning for the Norse as Colton Sluga ended the game with a two-out RBI single.
The Norse had 15 hits in the game as each of the first six hitters — Sonsalla, Brock Sluga, Blaha, McCune, Kleinhans and Isaac Skoyen — in the batting order had two. McCune batted in four runs while Brock Sluga and Blaha both had two RBIs.
McCune also got the win, tossing six innings with four hits and one walk allowed while striking out four.
Kyle Steien had two of B-T’s hits while Isaiah Washington and Eli Swenson had RBIs.
Steien was the losing pitcher, allowing nine hits and two walks while striking out five in four innings.
Mel-Min 7 Whitehall 1
The Mustangs scored seven straight runs as the Norse struggled after getting an early lead.
Whitehall led 1-0 after two innings as Luke Beighley singled Kleinhans home in the top of the second. That lead disappeared in the third, however, as the Mustangs plated three runs.
Mel-Min added four more in the fifth as they took control and held on to win by a 7-1 score.
Beighley had two of Whitehall’s three hits in the game as they threatened in both the fourth and seventh innings, but couldn’t score any more runs. They managed six walks in the game.
Lisowski took the loss, pitching into the fifth inning with seven hits and two walks allowed, while he struck out three. Chase Blaha replaced him, allowing one walk and one hit batter as he prevented Mel-Min from increasing the lead.
