FARGO, North Dakota – Five RedHawks pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts as Fargo-Moorhead shutout the Sioux Falls Canaries by a final score of 4-0 on a humid Friday night at Newman Outdoor Field.
The whiffs came early and often as RedHawks’ starter Kelvan Pilot waved seven Canaries in the first few innings of the game. However, his night came to an end soon after as he started the game on a few days’ rest. His night was over after he pitched three innings, allowing no runs on two hits and two walks along with his strikeouts.
The ‘Hawks were able to begin the scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning as Alec Olund tallied the team’s first hit with a single to center field. Nick Novak followed with a single of his own, moving Olund to third. After a shallow flyout, Peter Brookshaw flew out to center field to score Olund for the game’s opening salvo.
Alex DuBord entered the game and picked up where Pilot left off by striking out the side in the top of the sixth inning with Tasker Strobel collecting one of his own in the top of the seventh.
Fargo-Moorhead added another run following the stretch as Nick Novak reached base on a fielder’s choice which allowed Sam Dexter to triple down the left field line to extend the lead to two. In the bottom of the eighth, Correlle Prime led off with a single to center field and after Michael Falsetti entered the game to pinch run, Scott Schreiber doubled to left field to score the runner. The inning was not done there as a stolen base and a couple of batters later, Leo Pina singled to left field to bring the game to its final score after Reza Aleaziz slammed the door on Sioux Falls in the top of the ninth inning to end the game.
With the win, Fargo-Moorhead snap a four-game losing skid and rise to a 36-35 record which put themselves back in third place in the AAPB West Division race. The RedHawks are back in action on Saturday night for game two of the weekend series against the Canaries. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. with gates scheduled to open at 5 p.m.
