Hot Eskomos team trounces the Bombers

The Esko Eskomos boys baseball team improved to 9-2 on the season Tuesday afternoon after defeating the Barnum Bombers by a score of 17-2 in a Polar League conference matchup.

Esko scored 17 runs on 10 hits and were also aided by 10 walks given up by the Barnum pitching staff. Esko scored five runs in the first inning, added five more in the second, two in the third, and again scored five more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to 10-run the Bombers in 5 innings.

Barnum had only four hits in the loss with Max Salzer collecting two of those hits and driving in one of the two Barnum runs. Salzer doubled-in Jake Nynas in the top of the seventh for the first Barnum run. Nate Finifrock singled-in Dawson Sample for the only other Barnum run.

Jacob Hultgren was the losing pitcher, allowing 12 runs: only six were earned as the Bombers committed seven errors in the loss.

"We have some experience on the team this year but we have had nine games postponed, changed or canceled this spring and this was only our fifth game of the year," said Barnum head coach Tony Bender. "I know all teams have had issues this spring, but we have been hit hard and we have had very few chances to even practice outside. You saw that, with seven errors against Esko."

Esko junior James LeGarde continued his hot spring by collecting four hits - including a double and a triple - while knocking in seven runs in the victory.

"James has been knocking the cover off the ball this spring" Esko head coach Ben Haugen said, adding that others also have been doing very well offensively.

"Even though we are still very young and inexperienced the team continues to exceed my expectations." Haugen said. "We are coming into a very tough part of our schedule so we will see how the kids respond."

Tyler Koskela was the winning pitcher Tuesday afternoon, going three innings and allowing only two hits while striking out four Bomber batters.

"We still need to improve on our overall pitching and cut down on the number of bases on balls we have allowed," Haugan said.

LeGarde leads the Eskomos with a .500 batting average on the season, and Noah Furcht is right behind LeGarde with a .486 average. Senior Hubie Gonsorowski is also showing his senior leadership with a .476 average and Payton Koskela is hitting .400 even on the season.

Furcht leads the Eskomos with four wins on the pitcher's mound, while Mason Vinje is 2-0 for Esko. Furcht also leads the pitching staff with 21 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.21, while Vinje has a team leading 1.53 ERA.

Barnum will play five of their final six games at home with the only road game against Floodwood. Barnum will host Wrenshall, Carlton, and Silver Bay in conference play. The Bombers will also welcome East Central and Crosby-Ironton in their final game of the season.

With only one home game left on the schedule, Esko will be facing a very strong group of opponents down the stretch with games against Two Harbors, Superior, and Hermantown this week. Next week they will face Hibbing and close out their home schedule against Mora. Esko will finish the regular season with games at Cloquet and Proctor.

"We have only six games left on the season," Bender said. "Five are at home so we need to make steps to improve. If we can get going in the right direction, we have a hard-working group of kids. They could make a run in the playoffs if it all works out."