Paulbeck and Aitkin Combine to Shut Down Fridley in Area Baseball Game – Brainerd Dispatch

In a thrilling baseball matchup, the Aitkin Gobblers secured a 3-0 victory over the Fridley Tigers thanks to an outstanding performance by pitcher Drew Paulbeck. Paulbeck pitched a complete game shutout and struck out an impressive 13 batters, leading his team to victory on Thursday, May 2.

Aitkin’s Nolan Dotzler also had a standout game, finishing 2-for-3 with two doubles. Jake McGuire and Hunter Moreland contributed with two hits each, helping Aitkin improve their record to 4-2 for the season.

In another exciting game, the Laporte Wildcats narrowly defeated the Pine River-Backus Tigers with a score of 5-4 in a Northland Conference matchup. Chance Abraham stood out for Pine River-Backus, going 2-for-2 with two walks and an RBI. Despite the effort, the Tigers fell short as Konnor King took the loss after giving up four earned runs.

Lastly, the Staples-Motley Cardinals faced a tough 8-2 loss against the Hawley Nuggets in a non-conference game. Alex Schultz and Griffin Bettis both doubled for the Cardinals, with Cooper Tappe and Elijah Kossan adding two more hits to the team’s tally. The loss brought Staples-Motley’s record to 6-2 for the season.

Baseball fans can look forward to more exciting matchups as the season progresses, with Aitkin set to face Hinckley-Finlayson, Pine River-Backus taking on Hill City/Northland, and Staples-Motley hosting Osakis in their upcoming games.