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Badgers edge Flivvs in 8th

Bases-loaded walk decides opener

Kingsford’s Luke Terrian receives a throw as Niagara’s Landen Kaldor attempts to steal second base during a game Tuesday. (Adam Niemi/The Daily News Photo)

NIAGARA, Wis. – A bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning gave Niagara a 3-2 win over Kingsford in the season-opener on Tuesday.

The Badgers (1-0) stopped Kingsford in the top of the inning when the Flivvers threatened with runners on second and third and one out. Two strikeouts ended the top of the inning and gave the Badgers momentum at the end of a breezy game that cooled off gradually after the first pitch.

Niagara’s Josh Weber scored the eventual game-winner after reaching base on a hit-by-pitch.

He reached second on a passed ball and third when Charlie Shaefer was hit by a pitch.

Ethan Sweig stepped to the plate and was walked on four straight balls to bring Weber in for the run.

“Being so young and coming out and playing a real quality team and playing as good as we did, I was really proud of the kids,” Niagara head coach Dean Neveau said.

Kingsford (0-1) had its chances to take the lead. The Flivvers stranded 13 runners on base, including 10 in scoring position and four runners at third base. Head coach Chad Lindeman said he expected some rust.

“We just can’t hit like that. We’ll get better,” he said. “I’m not worried about it — we haven’t taken batting practice in over a week and a half. We’ll get better. Anthony Hansen is a good pitcher — he’s tough.”

Niagara left eight runners on base including five in scoring position.

Anthony Hansen started on the mound for Niagara and pitched 2 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking four.

Landen Kaldor, Weber and Tristan DeJardin also pitched, giving up a combined two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and five walks.

Kingsford got its first hit of the game with a single by Colin Erickson in the fifth inning.

Ben Stanish started on the mound for Kingsford. He went two innings and gave up a run on two hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Noah Wilcox and Luke Terrian finished on the mound and gave up a combined two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Both teams had struggles at the plate throughout the game with swings coming too early and too late on pitches. Neveau said the depth perception playing outside as compared to the gym where they’d been practicing for the previous month is a big factor early on.

“I think you’re in a net, you’re seeing the ball differently in gyms and stuff like that,” Neveau said. “Then you get out there and it looks like a big watermelon coming at you. Our kids put the bat on the ball but usually it was going up in the air. They’re over-swinging or hitting the ball on the ground.”

Zak Prideaux finished the game 3 for 4 with an RBI for the Badgers.

Jon Sturm, Erickson and Marcus Kazianka had Kingsford’s three hits. Noah Wilcox had an RBI on a sacrifice fly to centerfield in the fifth.

Kingsford plays at Norway on Thursday and host Bark River-Harris on Friday.

Niagara hosts North Central in a double-header on Thursday.

Kingsford 000 011 00 – 2 3 0

Niagara 100 010 01 – 3 6 3

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