The Aitkin Steam slipped by the Flensburg Falcons 4-3 on Sunday at Wook Field as the Steam got a pair of Home Runs in the top of the 5th from John McGuire and Nathan Ehnstrom to provide all the runs they’s need. The Falcons played their most competitive game of the season by far, getting an outstanding pitching effort from Gunner Gustafson, who went all 8 innings for the Falcons.
The Falcons took an early lead in the top of the 3rd when Reece Hubbard singled to right with 1 out and eventually scored on an Aitkin error to make it 1-0.
Flensburg starter Gunner Gustafson was doing his job, holding Aitkin hitless through the first 4 innings. But in the bottom of the 5th, the Steam’s Keyon Wesner opened the inning with a single to right. Noelan Jones folled that with a double to right and suddenly Aitkin had runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs. John McGuire then came up and drove a ball to right and before the Falcons could relay the ball back in, both Wesner and Jones had scored and McGuire flew around the bases as well for an inside-the-park 3-run Homer to make it 3-1. After Gunner Gustafson got a strikeout of Carson Kullhem and got Jake Ince to pop out to shortstop Eli Epling, Nathan Ehnstrom connected for a solo Homer to left to put Aitkin ahead 4-1 after 5 innings.
In the top of the 7th, Flensburg closed the gap as Reece Hubbard reached on an error with 1 out. Another error moved Hubbard all the way to 3rd followed by a strikeout for the 2nd out. Kurt Crosby then walked to put runners at the corners. Flensburg then executed a double steal with Crosby swiping 2nd and Hubbard stealing home to make it 4-2. Crosby then stole 3rd, followed by a walk to Gunner Gustafson. Eli Epling brought the Falcons within a run with an rbi single to center to plate Kurt Crosby and make it 4-3 with Gustafson at 2nd and Epling at 1st. Dan Kokett then singled and Flensburg had the bases loaded. Aitkin pitcher Keyon Wesner preserved the lead with an inning-ending strikeout of Trevor Loxtercamp.
In the top of the 8th, Reece Hubbard doubled to left with 2 outs and then stole 3rd, once again putting the potential tying run in scoring position. But this time it was Aitkin reliever Thorin Dunham that squashed the scoring chance with a strikeout.
In the top of the 9th, Thorin Dunham got Kurt Crosby to line out to shortstop Drew Paulbeck, then got Gunner Gustafson to fly out to left fielder Carson Kullhem for the 2nd out. Dunham then fanned Eli Epling to finish off the 4-3 win for Aitkin.
Flensburg 3 10 2 – 3
Aitkin 4 7 4 – 4
WP: Nathan Ehnstrom 5.0 IP 1 run 7 hits 4k 0bb
SV: Thorin Dunham 2.0 IP 0 runs 1 hit 3k 0bb
Keyon Wesner 2.0 IP 2 runs 2 hits 4k 2bb
LP: Gunner Gustafson 8.0 IP 4 runs 7 hits 7k 3bb 1hp
Steam:
Carson Kullhem 0-5
Jake Ince 0-3 hp
Nathan Ehnstrom 1-4 Hr, rbi, run
Zack Ehnstrom 0-2 2bb
Drew Paulbeck 1-2 bb
Jake McGuire 0-4
Keyon Wesner 1-4 run
Noelan Jones 1-4 2B, run
John McGuire 3-4 Hr, 2B, 2 sb, 3 rbi, run
Falcons:
Reece Hubbard 2-5 2B, 2 sb, 2 runs
A Marod 1-5
Kurt Crosby 2-4 bb, 2 sb, rbi, run
Gunner Gustafson 1-4 bb
Eli Epling 1-5 rbi
Dan Kokett 1-4
Trevor Loxtercamp 1-4
Kaleb Primus 0-4
Samuel Perez 1-4 sb