Thief River Falls, Minn. - 

It doesn't happen very often that a pitcher can allow 10 earned runs in six innings and still pick up the win, but that was exactly what happened Sunday at the Multi Events Center in Thief River Falls. Northland starting pitcher Isaac Mata pitched a complete game and earned the win in game of a double header, despite allowing 10 earned runs on 11 hits in the Pioneers' 20-10, six-inning win over the Rainy River Voyageurs. 

The game itself took over three hours to complete as both teams dealt with sustained wins over 40 miles per hour and gusts over 50 coming from the north. The strong wind made all fly balls and adventure for outfielders, especially those hit leftfield and left-center field. 

The Voyageurs manufactured a run on one hit in the top of the first. The Pioneers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning and they added to their lead with six runs in the bottom of the second. 

The Voyageurs battled back with six runs of their own in the top of the third. 

The Pioneers responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to go in front 11-6. From there, they had an answer for each score by the Voyageurs with five runs in the bottom of the fifth and four runs in the bottom of the sixth to answer a one run fifth and two run sixth for the Voyageurs. 

David Perez (2), Connor Hoyt, Freddy Landman, Keaden Kempert and Odhan Manhas combined for six doubles, and Marcos Salazar blasted a three-run home run to aid the Pioneers effort. 

After taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, the Pioneers quickly found themselves behind early in game two after the Voyageurs plated a pair of runs in the top half of both the second and third innings. 

With the wind still howling, the Pioneers wouldn't be kept down for long. They scored a pair of runs in the third to cut the deficit to a single run. Three runners crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth to give the Pioneers a 6-4 lead and they added a run in the fifth to make it a 7-4 lead. 

The Voyageurs got back to within a couple runs with a run in the top of the sixth, before the Pioneers broke the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to go in front 14-5. The Voyageurs added a run in the top of the seventh to conclude the scoring. 

The Pioneers collected 18 total hits in game two and had a another big game with Abel Rodriguez Jr., Perez,  Salazar and Hoyt hitting doubles and Isaac Lopez belting a solo home run. 
The Pioneers used three pitchers in the contest with Noah Warne earning the win after allowing two runs on six hits in his three innings of work.

Pioneers split games one and two Saturday

Northland scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie in game one of a double header  four-game series opener against Minnesota North College - Rainy River Saturday at Bemidji State University. The Pioneers went on to win game one 9-4. 

Odhan Manhas picked up the game one win for the Pioneers after allowing three runs on four hits in his four innings of work. Warne earned the save, allowing one unearned run on three hits in his three innings of relief. 

Isaac Lopez (2), Salazar and Rodriguez hit doubles in game one. Keaden Kempert went 3-for-5 and batted in two runs. Matthew Zepeda also batted in two runs after going 2-for-4 in game one. 

The Voyageurs plated six runs in the bottom of the first and they claimed an 8-7 win after the Pioneers' rally came up one run short in game two of Saturday's double header.
Game two starter Jonathan Perez was roughed up, allowing five runs on four hits in one third of an inning.  

Manhas and Isaac Lopez both went 3-for-4 in game two. Lopez scored three runs and batted in three runs to go with three doubles on  the day. Manhas doubled twice on the day and batted in Lopez on both occasions. 

Game 1
Saturday, April 29 at Bemidji State
                
NCTC    0    0    0    1    5    1     2     -    9    14    1
RR         0    1    0    0    2    1     0     -    4    7      1

Batting
Northland  AB R H RBI BB SO
C Hoyt (LF) 3 2 2 1 1 0
K Kempert (CF)  5 0 3 2 0 1
A Rodriguez (SS)  5 0 2 0 0 2
I Lopez (3B)  4 1 2 1 0 0
D Perez (1B)  3 1 0 0 2 0
M Salazar  2 0 1 1 1 0
J Campos  0 0 0 0 0 0
F Landman  0 1 0 0 0 0
M Zepeda (C)  4 1 2 2 0 2
A Venegas (2B)  2 0 0 0 0 1
O Manhas (P, 2B)  1 1 1 0 1 0
N Warne (P)  1 0 0 0 0 0
I Mata (RF)  3 2 1 1 0 2
Totals  33 9 14 8 5 6
Offensive highlights - 2B: M Salazar, I Lopez 2, A Rodriguez; TB: M Zepeda  2, I Mata, M Salazar 2, I Lopez 4, C Hoyt 2, O Manhas, A Rodriguez 3, K Kempert 3, SAC: C Hoyt; CS: C Hoyt , K Kempert, HBP: A Venegas, M Zepeda, I Mata, I Lopez, SB: C Hoyt, O Manhas, K Kempert; LOB: 13.
Rainy River AB R H RBI BB SO
E Bergen (LF) 4 1 0 0 0 0
K Sontag (C)  4 1 0 0 0 1
S Erickson  4 0 2 2 0 1
M Wright (1B)  4 0 1 0 0 1
D Ortega (CF)  2 0 0 0 0 1
J Franco Jr. (SS) 3 1 1 0 0 0
D Pretorius (2B)  3 1 2 0 0 0
M Talarico (3B)  1 0 1 1 0 0
T Miller (3B)  1 0 0 0 0 0
J Martinez (RF)  2 0 0 1 1 0
Totals  28 4 7 4 1 4
Offensive highlights - 2B: S Erickson, M Talarico, TB: S Erickson 3, D Pretorius 2, J Franco Jr., M Talarico 2, M Wright, CS: D Ortega; HBP: D Ortega, M Talarico; LOB: 6.

Pitching
Northland IP H R ER BB SO
O Manhas  4.0 4 3 3 1 2
N Warne - W 3.0 3 1 0 0 2
Rainy River IP H R ER BB SO
G Schmitt - L 4.2 9 6 6 4 6
N Grobler  1.1 3 1 1 0 0
E Grullon  1.0 2 2 1 1 0

Game 2
Saturday, April 29 at Bemidji State

NCTC    0    1    3    0    2    0    1    -    7    8    0
RR         6    0    0    1    1    0    X   - 8   12  0

Batting
Northland AB R H RBI BB SO
C Hoyt (LF) 3 0 0 0 1 3
K Kempert (CF)  3 1 0 0 1 0
A Rodriguez (SS)  2 2 0 0 1 2
I Lopez (3B)  4 3 3 3 0 0
O Manhas (2B)  4 0 3 2 0 1
M Zepeda (C) 3 0 0 0 0 0
M Salazar  3 1 1 0 1 1
J Perez (P, 1B)  1 0 0 0 0 0
D Perez (1B, P)  2 0 0 0 1 2
I Mata (RF)  3 0 1 0 0 0
Totals  28 7 8 5 4 9
Offensive highlights - 2B: O Manhas 2, I Lopez 3, TB: I Mata, O Manhas 5, M Salazar , I Lopez 6, HBP: M Zepeda, A Rodriguez; SB: K Kempert, A Rodriguez 2, C Hoyt , LOB: 6. 
Rainy River  AB R H RBI BB SO
C Dicochea (LF)  3 2 1 0 1 1
D Pretorius (2B)  4 1 2 0 0 0
S Erickson  4 0 1 0 0 0
M Wright (1B)  4 1 1 1 0 0
D Ortega (CF)  4 2 2 3 0 0
J Franco Jr. (SS)  3 1 2 0 0 0
M Talarico (C)  1 0 0 1 0 0
A Wensloff (3B)  3 0 2 1 0 0
J Martinez (RF)  2 0 1 1 0 0
CR: E Bergen  0 1 0 0 0 0
Totals  28 8 12 7 1 1
Offensive highlighs - HR: D Ortega; TB: D Ortega 5, S Erickson, J Franco Jr. 2, M Wright, A Wensloff 2, D Pretorius 2, C Dicochea, J Martinez; SF: M Talarico, J Martinez, HBP: M Talarico, SB: J Martinez, LOB: 6.

Pitching
Northland IP H R ER BB SO
J. Perez - L 0.1 4 5 5 1 0
T. John  4.1 7 3 3 0 0
D. Perez  1.1 1 0 0 0 1
Rainy River IP H R ER BB SO
K. Hubble - W 4.0 6 6 6 4 6
M. Kriek - L 3.0 2 1 1 0 3

Game 3
Sunday, April 30 at MEC TRF

RR 1 0 6 0 1 2 X - 10 11 1
NCTC 2 6 0 3 5 4 X - 20 17 1

Batting
Rainy River AB R H RBI BB SO
C. Dicochea (RF)  4 2 2 0 0 0
K. Sontag (C)  3 1 1 0 0 1
S. Erickson  2 1 1 1 2 0
M. Wright (1B)  3 3 2 2 1 0
D. Ortega (CF)  2 1 1 0 1 0
J. Franco Jr. (SS)  4 0 2 2 0 2
D. Pretorius (2B)  4 1 1 2 0 0
M. Talarico (3B) 3 1 1 3 0 1
E. Bergen (LF)  3 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 28 10 11 10 4 4 
Offensive highlights - 2B: C Dicochea 2, S Erickson, HR: M Talarico, TB: D Pretorius, M Talarico 4, K Sontag, C Dicochea 4, M Wright 2, S Erickson 2, J Franco Jr. 2, D Ortega, SAC: K Sontag, HBP: D Ortega, SB: C Dicochea, LOB: 6.
Northland AB R H RBI BB SO
C. Hoyt (LF)  4 1 1 1 1 2
K. Kempert (CF)  4 4 3 2 1 1
A. Rodriguez (SS)  4 3 2 1 1 1
I. Lopez (3B)  5 2 2 2 0 3
O. Manhas (2B)  4 1 3 2 0 1
J. Campos (2B) 0 2 0 0 0 0
I. Tavarez  2 1 1 2 0 0
M. Salazar  1 1 1 3 0 0
D. Perez (1B)  3 3 2 2 1 1
M. Zepeda (C)  3 0 1 1 1 2
F. Landman (RF)  1 1 1 0 3 0
CR: A Venegas  0 1 0 0 0 0
Totals 31 20 17 16 8 11
Offensive highlights - 2B: D Perez 2, C Hoyt , F Landman, K Kempert, O
Manhas , HR: M Salazar , TB: M Salazar 4, D Perez 4,
C Hoyt 2, M Zepeda , F Landman 2, K Kempert 4, I
Tavarez, A Rodriguez 2, O Manhas 4, I Lopez 2, SAC:
M Salazar , CS: F Landman, HBP: I Tavarez, J Campos ,
SB: K Kempert, A Rodriguez , LOB: 5

Pitching
Rainy River IP H R ER BB SO
J. Ouweneel - L 2.0 9 8 7 1 5
J. Alcoverde  2.0 3 7 7 6 4
N. Grobler  1.2 5 5 4 1 2
Northland IP H R ER BB SO
I. Mata - W 6.0 11 10 10 4 4
Game 4
Sunday, April 30 at MEC TRF
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
RR 0  2  2  0 0 1 1 - 6 12 0
NCTC 1 0 2 3 1 7 X  - 14 18 0

Batting
Rainy River AB R H RBI BB SO
E. Bergen (LF) 2 0 1 1 2 0
D. Pretorius (2B)  4 0 2 1 0 0
S. Erickson 4 0 2 0 0 1 
M. Wright (1B)  3 0 0 0 0 0
K. Sontag (1B) 1 1 1 0 0 0
D. Ortega (CF)  3 1 1 1 0 0
J. Franco Jr. (SS)  3 1 2 0 1 0
M. Talarico (C)  3 1 2 2 0 0
A. Wensloff (3B) 3 1 1 0 0 1
J. Martinez (RF)  2 0 0 0 1 0
T. Miller  1 1 0 0 0 1
Totals  29 6 12 5 4 3
Offensive highlights - 2B: J Franco Jr., HR: D Ortega, M Talarico, TB: D
Pretorius 2, J Franco Jr. 3, K Sontag, D Ortega 4, A Wensloff, E Bergen, S Erickson 2, M Talarico 5, SAC: A Wensloff, SF: M Talarico, HBP: D Ortega, LOB: 9.
Northland AB R H RBI BB SO
C. Hoyt (LF) 4 3 3 2 1 1
K. Kempert (CF) 4 2 2 2 0 0
A. Rodriguez (SS) 5 1 3 1 0 0
O. Manhas (2B) 3 1 2 2 0 1
M. Salazar (C)  4 1 1 2 1 1
J. Campos 0 0 0 0 0 0
D. Perez (1B)  3 1 1 1 1 1
M. Zepeda (C, P) 4 1 2 1 0 1
A. Venegas (C)  0 0 0 0 0 0
F. Landman (RF)  3 2 1 0 0 2
J. Perez  1 0 1 0 0 0
I Lopez (3B)  3 2 2 1 1 1
Totals  34 14 18 12 4 8
Offensive highlights - 2B: A Rodriguez , D Perez , M Salazar , C Hoyt , HR: I Lopez , TB: A Rodriguez 4, D Perez 2, M Salazar 2, I Lopez 5, C Hoyt 4, K Kempert 2, O Manhas 2, J Perez, M Zepeda 2, F Landman, SF: K Kempert, O Manhas, HBP: O Manhas , SB: A Rodriguez , C Hoyt 2, F Landman, LOB: 9.

Pitching
Rainy River IP H R ER BB SO
C. Dicochea - L 5.0 11 7 7 3 8
M .Kriek  0.1 6 7 7 1 0
D. Domenichi  0.2 1 0 0 0 0
Northland IP H R ER BB SO
J. Lopez 3.0 6 4 4 2 1
N. Warne - W 3.0 6 2 2 2 1 
M. Zepeda  1.0 0 0 0 0 1