Daily Globe
WORTHINGTON - Logan Huisman admitted he was nervous.
And with the game on the line, not many could blame him.
With the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second, Huisman needed just one final out.
And the pitcher on Worthington’s VFW baseball team delivered a strikeout - his 11th of the game - sending Post 3958 to a 5-4 victory over Marshall Orange Thursday night in the first game of a doubleheader.
“I was nervous,” Huisman said. I just wanted to keep pounding the strike zone because I knew I could overpower them. I was happy. I didn’t want to give up that last run.”
Huisman allowed four runs on four hits while walking seven and striking out 11 in a complete-game effort as Worthington opened it’s season with a league victory.
“We played pretty good,” Huisman said. “I couldn’t throw strikes at the beginning or at the end to get those last outs. We had good hits in key situations and that was good for us. I wanted to keep pounding the strike zone because I knew I could overpower them with my fastball. My curveball was a little off tonight, but I wanted to throw that to keep them on their heels.”
Worthington was able to score just enough - five runs - on seven hits.
“I was pleased with the execution,” Worthington head coach TD Hostikka said. “We asked guys to get bunts down and they got beautiful bunts down in key situations. That’s playing the game of baseball, that’s what’s fun. I like it when I see that stuff.”
Tyler Linder got the scoring started in the second inning. He led off with a triple and later scored as Turner Rogers reached on an error.
Post 3958 then added three in the fourth. Ethan Pavelko was hit with a pitch and Rogers followed with a bunt single. Eric Heidebrink followed with a long fly ball to left field - that was dropped - allowing both runners to score. Heidebrink later scored on a wild pitch.
“We have some guys with pretty good speed, so we put pressure on them to do some things and we have some big boppers that can really hit the heck out of the ball,” Hostikka said. “I was impressed overall with everything our guys did today.”
In the second game of the doubleheader, Worthington earned a 6-5 victory to complete the sweep.
Brayden Donkersloot earned the victory in relief for Post 3958, while Linder earned the save. Austin Svalland had two triples, scored three times and drove in two, while Connor Braaksma had three hits. Adam Russell had a hit and scored twice for Worthington in the second game.
R H E
Mar 000 120 1 - 4 4 4
Wor 010 310 x - 5 7 2
R H E
Mar 201 020 0 - 5 6 2
Wor 130 002 x - 6 7 2
