By Joey Hudson
The 3-2 Northfield River Rats hosted the visiting Hastings Raiders for a legion baseball matchup on Monday, June 26th at Dundas Memorial Park. Tegan Mellgren started on the mound for the River Rats against the opposing Mark DeNoyer. Hastings threatened to score in the top of the first when they had two runners on with one out, but Mellgren got out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout. Jake Geiger led off the bottom of the first with a walk and came around to score on a groundout to the third baseman by Gavin Novotny.
Aaron Reisetter led off the bottom of the second with a towering solo home run into the woods in left field. He was followed up by Nolan Thompson who shot a line drive double into left field. Thompson scored when Daniel Worden reached on an error after Gabe Heinritz smoked a line drive base hit to right field. After Bode Detling walked, Jake Geiger hit a line drive up the middle, which was caught by Hastings shortstop Gavin Odman who stepped on second and threw down to first for an inning-ending triple play.
Hastings put two runners into scoring position after Connor Zogda hit a fly ball double to center field. Mellgren got out of the jam with a strikeout and a pop-out to keep the River Rats lead, 3-0. Spencer Mellgren led off the bottom of the third with a triple to right center and he came around to score on a dropped third strikeout to Austin Koep. Hastings got on the board in the fourth when they scored a run off a sacrifice fly to center field.
Hastings tied up the game in the fifth when they rattled off three hits and a hit-by-pitch off Tegan Mellgren. Austin Koep came in relief and set down the three batters he faced. Northfield scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth when Austin Koep singled to left field scoring Jake Geiger and Spencer Mellgren.
Despite a threat to score in the top of the seventh with two runners in scoring position and one out, Austin Koep held the line not allowing a run to score in three innings of work. The Northfield River Rats took the 6-4 win and improved to 4-2 on the season and will play New Prague Tuesday, June 27th at 7:00 pm at Dundas Memorial Park. You can catch that game and all Legion games on NorthfieldLive.com and stay up to date with all Northfield activities by heading over to NorthfieldLive.com and following us on social media @NorthfiedLive.
