North Branch tips Milaca
2-1 in battle of pitchers
Posted 6/26/03

North Branch tipped Milaca 2-1 in an American Legion baseball pitching duel Tuesday, June 17, at Milaca.

Milaca¹s Joe Barrett and Nick Aaland of North Branch both pitched the distance and each allowed just two hits. Both are right-handers.

Aaland struck out six and didn¹t allow a walk over seven innings while Barrett struck out eight, walked four and hit three batters.

North Branch took advantage of three Milaca errors to score a pair of unearned runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Milaca, meanwhile, scored its run in the bottom of the seventh, with Nate Roehl driving the run in with a single.

Dustin Naumann also had a single for Milaca while Adam Anderson had a pair of singles for North Branch.

³Joe pitched very well--we just couldn¹t give him enough support,² said Milaca Coach Keith Anderson.

On Thursday, June 19, Chisago Lakes trimmed Milaca 10-0 at Chisago Lakes. The game was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.

Chisago Lakes broke open a scoreless game by scoring nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and one more in the fifth inning.

Right-hander Tony Thompson pitched all five innings for Milaca, allowing seven hits, two hit batsmen and no walks while striking out two. Four of Chisago Lakes¹ runs were unearned as Milaca committed four errors.

Pearl of Chisago Lakes allowed just one hit, one walk and one hit batsman. He struck out six.

Matt Allred singled to account for Milaca¹s lone hit.

Kevin Schneider had a three-run home run to lead Chisago Lakes.

³We played well for three innings before Chisago Lakes exploded in the fourth,² said Anderson.

Milaca, 0-4, travels to Mora tonight (Thursday) at 6:30, then goes to Braham Monday at 6:30 before hosting Cambridge Tuesday, also at 6:30.