The Aitkin Steam downed the visiting Royalton Riverdogs 6-2 on Sunday, using a 4-run bottom of the 2nd inning to get the job done.
After a scoreless 1st inning, Royalton got on the board in the top of the 2nd when Hunter Young led off with a single and was sacrificed to 2nd by Joey Gaida. A single by Gavin Suska moved Young to 3rd with 1 out, and after Aitkin starter Nathan Ehnstrom struck out Ethan Albright for the 2nd out, Hunter Young was able to score on a wild pitch to make it 1-0 before Ehnstrom fanned Grayson Suska to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Jake Ince led off by reaching on an error for the Steam, Ince moved to 2nd on a comebacker to the mound by Drew Paulbeck, then went to 3rd on a single from Jake McGuire. Carson Kullhem tied things up with an rbi single to center to score Ince and make it 1-1. Aiden Flanagan, who had 3 hits in Friday night’s loss to Clear Lake, came through with another hit as Jake McGuire came in to score and make it 2-1. After Nolan Dotzler popped up for the 2nd out, Nathan Ehnstorm laced a 2-run double to right, plating both Kullhem and Flanagan to make it 4-1 after 2 innings.
The Riverdogs made it 4-2 in the top of the 3rd when Drew Yourczek singled with 2 outs and then stole 2nd. Youczek came in to score on an error on a grounder by Tyler Jendro.
Aitkin made it 5-2 in the bottom of the 6th when Nolan Dotzler singled to drive in Drew Paulbeck to make it 5-2 after 6 innings.
The final run of the game came in the bottom of the 8th when Drew Paulbeck scored on a fielders choice ground ball by Carso Kullhem to make it 6-2.
Royalton then went down in order in the top of the 9th as Aitkin sealed the 6-2 win.
Royalton 2 5 2 – 2
Aitkin 6 12 1 – 1
WP: Nathan Ehnstrom 7.2 IP 2 runs 5 hits 5k 1bb 1hp
Thorin Dunham 1.1 IP 0 runs 0 hits 0k 0bb
LP: Marcus Hayes 8.0 IP 6 runs 12 hits 3k 0bb
Steam:
Nolan Dotzler 1-4 rbi
Nathan Ehnstrom 2-4 2B, 2 sb, 2 rbi
– Thorin Dunham 0-0
Zach Ehnstrom 1-4
Jake Ince 2-4 run
– Owen Foday 0-0
Drew Paulbeck 1-4 2 runs
Jake McGuire 2-4 sb, run
Carson Kullhem 2-4 2 rbi, run
Aiden Flanagan 1-3 rbi, run
– Jack Jacobson 0-1
Riverdogs:
Kirk Yourczek 1-4
Drew Yourczek 1-3 hp, 2 sb, run
Tyler Jendro 0-4
Hunter Young 1-3 bb, run
Joey Gaida 0-3
– Marcus Hayes
Gavin Suska 2-4
Ethan Albright 0-4
Grayson Suska 0-4
Ryan Snyder 0-3