Eddie O’Neill/ Daily Mining Gazette Northern Driveline’s Alex Nordstrom heads for home in a game against Craig Heinonen Coldwell Banker on Tuesday in Hancock.

HANCOCK – Up 3-0 over Northern Driveline headed into to the top of the fifth, victory seemed to be on the horizon for Craig Heinonen Coldwell Banker. However, fate would have it otherwise.

Northern scored four in the fifth, took a lead and never looked back in an 8-7 win on Tuesday at the Driving Park.

Ross Kinnunen, player-coach of Coldwell Banker, summed up his team’s play on Tuesday night the best.

“We struggle to put together complete games,” he said. “We had the lead but couldn’t finish the game. Our bats showed up, but our defense and pitching didn’t follow suit. That is why we have won just three games (3-6).”

Meanwhile Northern improved to 5-6 and had a much happier bench after the game.

“We hit the ball well and scored some runs,” noted player-coach Evan Larson. “Hats off to our lineup as they did their job by putting the ball in play.”

Coldwell got on the scoreboard first with a three-run second inning. Kyle Heltunen got on with a fielder’ choice. Cody Turner then doubled knocking in Heltunen. Turner then scored on a Ross Kinnunen RBI double as did Andrew Kinnunen.

Those were the only runs until Northern’s bats came alive to the tune of four runs in the fifth. Leading the charge in that inning was Aksel Loukus with a walk. Two more walks loaded the bases and Chad Nordstrom cleared them with a double to left center.

Justin Heinonen then singled, bringing in Nordstrom to take a 4-3 lead. However, it was a short-lived one as Coldwell retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth with two runs. In that frame both Ross Kinnunen earned his way to first with a base rap and scored two batters later thanks to Trevor Halonen. Chase Kinnunen plated that inning as well.

However, Coldwell’s 5-4 lead was equally short as Northern scored three in the top of the sixth. A couple of walks and misplayed balls by Coldwell Banker led to Northern now leading 7-5.

“Pitching is usually our strong suit, but not tonight,” added Ross Kinnunen as it related to the walks that led to runs.

In the top of the seventh, Northern added an eight run, and while Coldwell posted two in the bottom of the seventh it was one run too short in this 8-7 decision.

Up Next

Northern Driveline will face Houghton Building Supply-Stanton tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Stanton.