The Diamond Devils fell behind in the first inning and did not come to life until the fifth inning.

Mound came out swinging the bats and was able to score two runs off the Devil’s Pat McPherson. Of the first four batters Pat faced, three had singles to load the bases. Pat got the fifth batter to pop out to second to get the second out before Mound’s Grant Barthel hit a double. With the runners moving on the hit, the runners from third and second scored easily but the runner from first was thrown out at the plate with a well-executed cut off play from center.

The Diamond Devils cut the lead in half in the second inning. Andrew Pratt led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Ryan Dwyer hit a pitch back to the pitcher forcing Pratt at second but the throw to first was not in time to get Ryan. Pat McPherson hit a double to right center to put runners at the corners. Dan Boisclair hit the second pitch in his at bat to third. With Ryan running on the play, Mound’s third baseman threw home. Ryan started back for third but the throw from the catcher was off the mark and Ryan was safe at third to load the bases for the Devils. Paul Kunz in his first plate appearance of the season picked up the RBI when he was hit by a pitch, ending the scoring for the Devils.

The next scoring in the game came in the fourth inning. Mound took a three run lead courtesy of two Devil’s errors. Mound led off the top of the inning with a double. The Devil’s third baseman made two great stops in the next two at bats but short hopped the throw first, resulting in a run scored and runners at the corners. Mound scored their final run of the game with a sac fly to left field.

The Devils came to life in the fifth. Paul Kunz led off the inning with a walk. Paul was forced at second when KC Johnson hit a ground ball to the pitcher. Brandon Schliinz moved KC up to third with a hit to right. Adam Gregg just missed a homerun with a fly ball to deep center to score KC easily. With Andy Engebretson waiting in the wings, Mike Hokanson would not be denied a homerun as he hit a towering fly ball into the evergreens down the left field line, tying the game at four.

The Devils scored the winning run in the seventh to give Pat McPherson and the Devils their first win in the North Star League. Paul Kunz once again walked to start an inning. After a pitching change, Paul moved up to second on a ground ball to first. Brandon Schliinz got the game winning hit down the right field line to score Paul from second ending the scoring in the inning.

An insurance run was added in the eight. Andrew Pratt walked to open the inning for the Devils. Ryan Dwyer sac bunted Andrew to second. Pat McPherson scored Andrew from second with a hit up the middle.

On the pitching side, Pat McPherson earned his first win of the season. Pat pitched seven innings giving up four runs with only two being earned. Paul Kunz in his first game of the year earned the save pitching scoreless eighth and ninth innings.