Red-hot Kingsford pounded 18 hits with all but one player recording at least one knock, including a big three-run homer over the fence in left off the bat of junior Brock Flamino in the seventh as Kingsford pushed across six runs to put the game well beyond reach late. Flamino became the sixth different Flivver to homer this season.

The victory, their fifth in a row and 14th in the last 15 games, brought the Flivvers’ record to 14-10 and avenged a 5-3 home loss to the Knights back on April 16. Kingsford has now scored 10 or more runs in 10 games this season.

Norway (17-7), a team that averages around eight runs per contest, was held to under three runs for just the third time this season. The Knights had just three hits and a single run through six innings against Kriegl before tacking on two more hits and run in the final inning.

Kriegl struck out five while walking two to improve to 6-0, and he received big support from his defense throughout the game right up to final batter. Having tossed pitch number 102 and at risk of having to exit if another batter came to the plate due to pitch count – right fielder Flamino had to race in to make a difficult diving grab of a sinking line drive to end the game.

Kingsford second baseman Jack Spreen makes a diving grab of foul ball just beyond first base to end the third inning against Norway.

Junior second baseman Jack Spreen also added two really nice diving grabs, including a full-out extension to haul in a pop-up in foul territory just behind first to end the third inning after Norway had put their first two batters on to start the frame. And with two on and one run already in during the first inning, Spreen chased down a shallow pop up to right to end the threat. With his back to the infield and glove fully stretched out, Spreen lept and secured the catch as he sommersalted back to the ground.

Spreen also provided big contributions at the plate with a 2-for-2 day with two walks. He tied the game 1-1 in the second with a RBI single to score senior Jacob Deuter who beat out an infield grounder for a hit, and later added a sacrifice fly. Spreen also singled in the fifth which led to a run and him standing on second after the ball was misplayed in left.

Four Norway errors didn’t help the Knights’ cause, but the Flivvers also put together some good patient deep count at-bats in the early innings to drive up the pitch total on Norway ace Owen Baij who exited after 4 and 2/3 innings having tossed 94 pitches. Baij was responsible for seven hits and five runs (three earned). He fanned seven but also walked five.

Kriegl, junior Jonah Doenier and freshman Colin Olsen all had three hits and an RBI each, Olsen driving in the go-ahead tally in the second, punching a two-out single over the reach of the shortstop for a 2-1 lead. Deuter and junior Noah Trulock joined Spreen with two hits in the game, each notching an RBI as well. Freshman Luke Rice had the Flivvers’ only other extra base hit with a RBI double to bring in Deuter during the big seventh inning.

The Flivvers tacked on two runs in the fourth via errors and added two more in the fifth via the error on Spreen’s single and a RBI hit by Doenier to build a 6-1 lead. Junior Logan Grondin added a RBI single in the Flivvers’ 3-run sixth. Deuter followed by lacing an 0-2 pitch to center for another run ahead of Spreen’s sac fly for a 9-1 lead.  

Baij had two of the Knights’ five hits which were all singles. Maddex Burklund and Luke Lagina drove in runs for Norway. Left fielder Carter Cazzola gunned down a runner tagging from third in the fourth for a double play after the Flivvers had loaded the bases with nobody out, momentarlily keeping it a two-run game at 3-1. 

Kingsford has one more regular season game remaining, heading to Eagle River, Wis., Tuesday to face Northland Pines.

The Flivvers host the Division 2 District 33 tournament Friday, playing the early game against Houghton at 10 a.m. with Negaunee versus Escanaba to follow.

Norway hosts the Division 4 District 99 tournament Friday, playing North Central after Stephenson and Bark River-Harris battle first.

On Wednesday afternoon Kingsford held off Menominee 7-6, in a contest that ended on the basepaths with Kingsford trapping the tying run in a rundown between second and third base for the final out. Kingsford built a 6-2 lead heading into the final innings, but the Maroons took advantage of a couple of errors and a hit batsman to load the bases with nobody out and pushed three runs across in the sixth. The sixth run came in on the final play in the seventh, tagging from third on a fly to right ahead of the other runner getting caught between second and third.

Flamino had three of Kingsford’s nine hits, smacking a double and registering three RBIs. Junior Devin Miller went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Rice also had two hits, lining a two-run double to right to put Kingsford ahead 2-1 during the fourth inning. Kingsford never trailed after that. Kriegl provided a key insurance run with a two-out RBI single to left in the top of the seventh.

Doenier, one of four pitchers used by Kingsford, earned the win with a 4 and 1/3 inning start, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out two and walking six. Trulock, Kriegl and junior Caleb Erickson provided relief work, Erickson securing the save.

Kingsford’s JVs routed Menominee 16-4 in four innings on the strength of 11 hits, all singles. Sophomore Alex Larson was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Rice, sophomore Cooper Kreski and freshman Andrew Tomasoski all added two hits each. Olsen got the win on the mound with two innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts against just one walk.