One-run losses sends Birds to consolation bracket

Chester Bird suffered a pair of one-run losses and finished third in National Division of the Moose Country Challenge to move into Sunday's consolation bracket.

Saturday began with The Birds falling behind Hamline Purple, 5-0, in the first two innings before coming back to tie the game with a five-run third inning, highlighted by a Joe Melles two-run double.

Hamline regained the lead by scoring twice in fourth but Chester Bird scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and the game went to eight innings before Hamline posted an 8-7.

Kenny Polarek pitched a complete game for The Birds and struck out a career-best six batters.

Saturday's second game saw John Kernan throw a three-hitter but a three-run fifth inning by West St. Paul spelled a 3-2 loss for Chester Bird, which left 11 runners on base.

The Birds scored a run in the top of the first inning when Greg Zeman scored on Grant Besse's sacrifice fly but they left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings, and again in the sixth after cutting the Challengers' lead to 3-2.

Kernan walked five and struck out six, allowing just one earned run.

Zeman and Chris Flood each had two hits in the game.

Chester Bird will now play Rosemount in the first game of the consolation the round, Sunday, at St. Thomas Academy at 10 a.m. The winner will move onto the consolation championship game, slated for 2:30 p.m.