Redhawks swoop past Flyers

The Fargo Moorhead Redhawks used the long ball to power their way past the Schaumburg Flyers for a rain-shortened series sweep early Wednesday afternoon at Alexian Field.

The Redhawks won 12-3, collecting their first seven runs by way of the home run. The offense backed Garry Bakker (1-1) to his first win of the season after he went 6 strong innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits.

Dustin Glant (2-1) of the Flyers struggled through his first loss of the season, giving up 7 runs on 4 Redhawk home runs. The Flyers are now 4-6 overall.

It was all Redhawks in the early going, who improved to 5-6 on the young season. A third inning homer by Justin Justice got the offense rolling, and by the time Glant exited the game in the fifth, Jeremiah Piepkorn, Alan Rick, and Nic Jackson hit home runs to increase the lead to 7-1.

The Redhawks would get four more runs off of Garrett Rieck in the sixth, then one more off of Tom Lyons in the seventh, before Lonnie Patterson and Craig James finished off the game with a scoreless final two frames.

Scott Koerber got his first save of the season pitching the final three innings in relief of Bakker.

Flyers pitchers allowed season highs in runs allowed (12) and hits allowed (14). On the offensive side, the Flyers struggled to push runs across the plate. Their 8 hits on the afternoon led to only three runs, as they stranded 8 runners in the game before a crowd of 3,070.

Jason Colson of the flyers added his second home run of the season on a solo shot to right, while Felix Jose and Vince Harrison continued their torrid starts to the season. Jose went 3-for-4 with a solo home run just to the left of the scoreboard in left-center field, finishing a triple short of the cycle, while Harrison tripled and walked, going 1-for-3.

Former Cubs player Carmen Pignatiello is set to pitch for Mike Busch's squad Friday in Kansas City, where the Flyers will head after Thursday's off day.