Raiders, Mesabi split twinbill

MINNEAPOLIS - Josh Janzen went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and Brandon Hilts crossed the plate three times as the Raiders won the opening game of Thursday's double-header 8-6 against the Mesabi Norsemen.

Janzen, Hilts and the Raiders scored early and often as they earned three runs in the second and four more in the third.

Hilts and the Raiders weren't as fortunate in the second game, however, as three errors led to eight unearned runs during a 16-4 loss.

"It was just like a Charles Dickens novel," Raiders coach Pat Held said. "It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. We played really well in the first game, and played really poor in the second."

Game One

Mesabi 6 9 2

Central Lakes 8 10 1

WP: Trevor Howard. LP: Juan Navarro. 2B: Will Wilson.

Game Two

Mesabi 16 12 0

Central Lakes 4 5 3

WP: Kyle Bixleiz. LP: Brandon Hilts. 2B: Jake Serfling. 3B: Keegan Meagher, Will Paine. Overall: CLC 2-2. Next: CLC vs. Vermilion at Metrodome 9 a.m. Friday.

CLC splits Wednesday

MINNEAPOLIS - Keegan Meagher struck out three, walked two and gave up two earned runs in five innings as CLC beat DuPage 9-3 in the first game of a doubleheader that finished at 2:15 a.m. Thursday at the Metrodome.

Josh Janzen had an RBI triple for the Raiders and pitched the last two innings, with one strikeout, three walks and one earned run.

Meagher was 2-for-3 at the plate, Brandon Hilts had an RBI double and Ben Kepner an RBI single for CLC.

The Raiders lost the second game 11-2 as DuPage's Sean O'Connell struck out 11. He had a no-hitter until Toby Kaplan's single in the seventh.

"We saw a parade of left-handed pitching, which was really tough," CLC coach Pat Held said. "O'Connell was on the mark. He pitched a very nice game."

Will Paine pitched three innings and took the loss. Will Wilson pitched three and Braden Lee one inning.

The Raiders committed no errors in the first two games of the season.

"It was a remarkable performance for our first time out," Held said. "We played very well in the field."

Game One

Central Lakes 9 6 0

DuPage 3 6 6

W-Keegan Meagher. L-Dan Michaels.

Game Two

DuPage 11 9 1

Central Lakes 2 1 0

W-Sean O'Connell. L-Will Paine.