Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

The Humboldt Eagles 17U came out swinging at the Arcata Little League Fields on Friday, rolling over Sutter 16-0 in five innings.

Several Eagles had huge days at the plate, no one more so than Brayden Youkey, who finished 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and scored twice.

The top of the lineup in particular was impressive, with Rogan Bode and Regan Nyberg each adding three hits and two runs.

“When you have that offensive production from the top of the lineup, good things are going to happen,” said head coach Jeff Mielke, whose team has now won two straight and is 4-3 on the young season. “It was nice to see the offense come to play.”

Richard Reeves also had a big day offensively, finishing 4-for-4 and scoring three runs, while one of Nyberg’s hits was a double.

Jeran Ford and Tyler Dimmick each added two hits, with the latter also driving in a run and scoring a run.

Aidan Dorsch pitched four solid innings for the win, allowing just one hit and one walk and striking out three.

Gavin Brooks and Ethan Pesch each looked good in relief, holding Sutter at bay.

According to Mielke, this year’s team is coming together well after the long layoff.

“Most definitely,” he said. “This team is starting to get an identity for sure.”

In other Legion action on Friday, the Northern Humboldt Giants 17U defeated the Humboldt Eagles 16U by a score of 7-3.

“I thought we pitched and swung the bats really well,” Eagles head coach Eric Giacone said. “Our defense let us down a little bit. But I thought we competed well today.”

No stats from either team were available.

Knights fall to older Tehama team

The Northern Humboldt Knights 15U team rallied late against the Tehama Bulls 17U at the Arcata Little League Fields on Friday, but ended up falling 5-2.

The Bulls led 5-0 early, but had to withstand a late comeback attempt, as the Knights scored twice in the seventh after threatening in the sixth as well.

“We hung in there as a 15-year-old team playing against a 17-year-old team,” Knights coach Sean Brantley said.

Chase Coleman, Ty Ghisetti, Brody Mattz and Michael Jewell each had a hit for Northern Humboldt, including a double and an RBI by Jewell.

Mattz took the loss on the mound, allowing four hits and striking out two in three innings work.

Tyler Schlesiger was impressive in relief, tossing three shutout innings.

Schlesiger did not allow a hit, while walking one and striking out two.

Catcher Elam Wright once again had a big day defensively for the Knights.

“He was just solid behind the dish,” Brantley said. 

A slow start, however, proved too much to overcome for the 15U team, which dropped to 4-3 with the loss.

“We came out sluggish and we weren’t swinging the bat,” Brantley said.