Birds rout Mountain Hawks in Lakeview Classic opener



Keaton Studsrud watches his fourth-inning home run, one

of his three hits on the day.

Chester Bird opened the Lakeview Classic with a 16-6, five-inning win over Thunder Bay at Arnovich Field in Superior.

With Michael Kaminski making his first career start, the Birds gave him two runs to work with in the bottom of the first when Matt Ambre and John Backes drew back-to-back, bases-loaded walks.

Defensive mistakes, however, proved costly to Chester Bird in the third inning as the Mountain Hawks scored five runs, two of which were unearned, to take a 5-2 lead.

The Birds responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Joe Melles led off with a double and scored two batters later when Robby Sutherland reached first base on an error. One out later, Backes delivered an RBI single to bring home Sutherland.

A nine-run outburst in the fourth inning gave Chester Bird plenty of breathing room. Keaton Studsrud led off with his first home run and Melles was then hit by a pitch and Gabe MacDonald walked. The pair advanced on a wild pitch and, when Sutherland took ball four, Melles raced home on a wild pitch with the go-ahead run and Ambre's RBI single finished Thunder Bay starting pitching Brendan Tuomisto.

Backes drew a walk from reliever Owen Steele and, one out later, Sam Lynch singled home a run and Marcus Barone drew a bases-loaded walk. Studsrud reached on a fielder's choice, with Backes out at home on the play, but Melles drove in two runs with a double and, after Barone scored on a wild pitch, MacDonald doubled home the final run of the inning.

The Birds ended the game via the 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth with Ambre leading off the inning with a four-pitch walk and, on the next pitch, scored on Backes' double to right-center field.

Thunder Bay got two outs before the Chester Bird lineup rolled over to the top of the order. Barone and Studsrud then hit back-to-back doubles to right-center field to end the game.

The Birds recorded 13 hits in the game, seven of which went for extra bases. Studsrud and Melles both had three hits and two RBI with Melles scoring four times and Studsrud three. Backes added a pair of hits and a game-high three RBI.

Kaminski's first start for Chester Bird saw him allow six runs, four of which were earned, on nine hits while walking one and record three strikeouts.

The Birds return to action tonight as they return to Arnovich Field for an 8 p.m. game with Superior, which defeated Proctor earlier in the day. Saturday, Chester Bird is slated to face Proctor in a 12:30 p.m. game in Cloquet to conclude pool play.