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RedHawks Topple Goldeyes 8-3, Advance To NL Finals

The Fargo-Moorhead used a six-run sixth inning to defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 8-3 in Game 5 of the Northern League First Round Playoff Series on Sunday night at CanWest Park in Winnipeg, MB. The victory clinched the series for the RedHawks and advanced the team to the Northern League Finals.

Winnipeg opened the scoring off Jeff Icenogle in the first. Cory Patton drew a lead-off walk, moved up on a one-out walk to Juan Diaz and scored on a Vince Harrison single. Fargo-Moorhead replied in the fourth off Bear Bay without the benefit of a hit. Zach Penprase walked to lead it off, stole second, Jeremiah Piepkorn walked, both advanced on a Nic Jackson sacrifice and both advanced on a Mike Coles sacrifice that scored Penprase. Ruben Salazar followed with a grounder to first that Cody Ehlers booted, allowing Piepkorn to score.

Blanked since the first, the Goldeyes regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. With Brent Metheny at first on a two-out single, Cody Ehlers atoned for his defensive miscue when he hit his playoff-leading third home run and it was 3-2. The visitors took the lead back in the sixth and chased Bay in the process. Piepkorn singled to lead it off, went to second on a Nic Jackson single and scored on a one-out single by Ruben Salazar to end the night for Bay.

Bill Pulsipher came in and gave up a double to Alan Rick that scored Jackson and sent Salazar to third. Carlo Cota was intentionally walked to load the bases for Justin Justice, who singled to score Salazar and Rick. Kevin West air-mailed the throw home from right, allowing Cota to go to third, Justice to go to second and that was it for Pulsipher. In came Jordan Stewart, who struck out Donzell McDonald before Penprase hit a ground ball to shortstop Mark Minicozzi. His throw to first was high, giving Justice and Cota plenty of time to score, and that's the way it ended.

Nick Fellman (1-0) picked up the win in relief, tossing an inning of shutout relief with two walks and an equal number of strikeouts. Bay (1-1) took the loss after coughing up five runs (four earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks in five-plus innings.

With the win, the RedHawks moved on to the best-of-five Northern League Championship Series, where they will host Gary beginning Tuesday.

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