Better late than never
Northern Driveline wins deciding game after rain delay
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HOUGHTON -- The threat of rain quickly became rain during the third and deciding game of the Twilight League Championship Series Tuesday evening at the John Bostwick Memorial Field at Houghton High School. Northern Driveline, who had the bases loaded when the heaviest rain forced a delay, scored four runs in the top half of the fifth inning to turn a 2-1 lead into an 8-2 win over Garnet Garage.
The four runs changed the complexion of the game.
"I feel like we had guys on base, putting pressure on them," said Northern Driveline player-coach Brent Loukus. "I don’t know if that rain delay made them think about it a little bit longer, but we just kept putting bat on ball and putting them in play. (We) made them make some mistakes, and got runs across. It was big for us."
On the other side of the field, Garnet Garage player-coach Kevin Bostwick agreed.
"Definitely frustrating," he said. I mean, I’d say, you look back at the game, (the) better team won. They made more plays, they put the ball in play. It’s frustrating, but that’s baseball."
Northern Driveline had a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning when Alex Nordstrom singled to right field. Buzz Rajala reached on a fielder's choice. Brent Loukus then drew a one-out walk. Chad Nordstrom reached on a defensive error, and suddenly, the bases were loaded with just one out.
That's when the rain got heavier, just as Peter Kruse was approaching the plate.
After the rain delay, Kruse singled to left field, scoring Rajala and Brent Loukus, and putting runners on the corners. Oskar Loukus singled to right field, scoring Chad Nordstrom. Aksel Loukus then reached on an error, scoring Kruse, and Northern Driveline led 6-1.
Justin Norkol answered quickly for Garnet Garage with a home run that snuck over the fence, but that was as close as things got from there.
Garnet Garage won the opening game of the series, but dropped the next two, and Bostwick admits that, for the second straight year, his team did not play well enough to win.
"Especially in a three game series, we have a chance to put them away," Bostwick said. "We win game one, and squander two, and then lose, I think, a tighter game than what the scoreboard says.
"But, (the) better team wins. You get in the series, that’s usually what happens. A better team over those three usually takes it. So, that was the case this year, and a great season for them."
Northern Driveline took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. It started with Chad Nordstrom reaching on a defensive error. Kruse followed, also reaching by error. Two batters later, Aksel Loukus reached on an error, scoring Nordstrom. Two batters later, Bryce Markham singled, scoring Kruse.
The game stayed 2-0 until the bottom of the fourth, when Garnet Garage finally got something going. With one out, Mike Saari singled to second base. Gaborik Carlson followed with a single to center field. Will Romano singled to center as well, scoring Saari in the process.
Then Chris Saari hit into a double play, ending the inning.
Up 6-2 in the top of the sixth, Northern Driveline added two more runs.
Alex Nordstrom drew a leadoff walk. Rajala popped a ball up past first base, but Chris Saari made the catch while falling to keep Nordstrom at first. Brent Loukus then hit into a fielder's choice, but reached on an error, as he ran past the base, had to turn around and run back to it. The throw ended up out of the reach of Chris Saari, allowing Loukus to stay at first.
Chad Nordstrom then singled to center field. A passed ball allowed both runners to advance into scoring position. Another passed ball allowed Brent Loukus to score. On the same play, a defensive error allowed Nordstrom to score, making it a six-run game at that point.
Berg, who took the mound for Northern Driveline, had five strikeouts, all of which seemed to come in key moments.
"Heck of a game by him," said Brent Loukus. "Shut them down most of the game. I think, other than that, there were maybe one or two hard contact (balls). He was keeping him off-balance. That was what we needed out of him."
Garnet Garage could not find ways to consistently get to him.
"He, I would say, was hitting the zone," Bostwick said. "That’s the big thing, he was throwing strikes. He established his fastball, and then he was able, with his secondaries, to be close enough to get chases, or to get freeze takes, on fastballs when we’re looking off-speed.
"The big thing is he threw strikes, and their defense made plays."
Rylan Isaacson struck out four for Garnet Garage in the loss.
Garnet Garage second baseman Kevin Bostwick makes a catch during the the third game of the Twilight League Championship Series Tuesday at John Bostwick Memorial Field in Houghton. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)
Northern Driveline pitcher Darin Berg watches one of his pitches cross home plate during the the third game of the Twilight League Championship Series Tuesday at John Bostwick Memorial Field in Houghton. (Daver Karnosky/Daily Mining Gazette)