File photo – The Fortuna Huskies
A pair of pitching aces both won their respective games at Del Norte on Saturday, as the Warriors and Fortuna Huskies split a Big 5 doubleheader.
Del Norte’s Preston Daniels, who has impressed as much as any local pitcher so far this season, led the home team to a 10-0 win in six innings in the opener, before Fortuna’s Drew Franklin took the mound for game two and led the visitors to an 8-2 win.
The doubleheader split secured the series win for the Huskies, who shut out the Warriors 10-0 on Wednesday and are now 2-3 in the Big 5.
The ever-consistent Daniels gave up just two hits and struck out 11 in Saturday’s opener to set up the series rubber match, and the Warriors backed their ace with a much better performance just three days after the mid-week disappointment.
“We definitely bounced back,” Del Norte head coach Jeff Cook said. “We hit well as a team. Played better defense.”
Franklin and Hunter Reback each finished 1-for-2 for Fortuna’s only hits in the opening game.
Chad Mussey threw five innings for the loss on the mound and struck out two, but some team errors proved costly and few teams can afford that going up against Daniels.
“Daniels is a great pitcher and kept us on our heels all game,” Fortuna head coach Max Betts said. “I thought Chad pitched well, we just made some mistakes that cost us.”
Game two was a different story with Franklin in control.
“Drew had a typical Drew performance,” Betts said of the senior, who finished with three strikeouts and did not give up an earned run.
Reback capped a good day at the plate in the win by going 2-for-3, as did Mariqus Ludd, while Tyler Schlesiger went 1-for-4 with a double.
Franklin, Kallen Barrotte and Nathan Creek each also was 1-for-3.
“We played a lot cleaner in that game besides one error,” Betts said. “The boys responded well to a tough game one loss and rallied back to win the series.”
Anthony Cardenas and Saxon Taylor both impressed at the plate for the home team and each finished 2-for-3 in the loss after also getting a hit apiece in the opener.
“In the second game Fortuna was just better,” Cook added. “They got hits when they needed them.”
The Warriors are now 1-2 in the Big 5.
The Warriors have no scheduled games next week, although Cook says he is trying to pick one up if possible, while the Huskies will play a make-up game at McKinleyville on Thursday.
