Chester Bird ends seven-game winless skid with split in Gopher Classic

Dan Labosky earned the win on the mound against West

Fargo and contributed two runs, three hits and three RBI

at the plate.

Chester Bird dropped a 9-6 decision to Ash Port but rebounded with an 11-3, five-inning victory over West Fargo to end a seven-game winless streak and garner a split of its two games on the second day of the Jim Hanus Gopher Classic.

The Birds jumped out to a four-run lead in the opener as Jimmy Heck doubled home a pair of runs in the first inning and singled home two more runs in the second before the Foxes responded with three runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth, taking a 6-4 lead which they would not relinquish.

Six errors proved costly to Chester Bird as John Backes worked a complete game and allowed just three earned runs. He walked three and struck out two as his record fell to 2-2 on the season.

Heck finished the game with three hits, four RBI and a stolen base.

In the night cap, Dan Labosky made his first start on the mound as a Bird and worked four and one-third innings for the victory while contributing three hits from his leadoff spot, including a bases-loaded triple to end the game via the tournament's eight-run rule with one out in the fifth inning.

Labosky had a single, double and triple in the game while also scoring two runs and stealing a base. On the mound, he allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on seven hits while walking three and striking out four.

However, Labosky was unable to escape the fifth inning and left with runners on first and second with one out, giving way to Joe Melles, who induced an inning-ending double play ground ball to record his first save of the season.

While Labosky had three hits at the top of the order, Chris Racchini, batting seventh, had a single and double, while Sam Lynch, batting ninth singled twice.

The Birds conclude weekend play with a single game Sunday, hosting Eastview in a 6 p.m. game at BSM Field.