Raiders fall twice to Fergus

The Central Lakes College Raiders lost in two wildly different ways Monday against the Fergus Falls Spartans.

In Game One, the Raiders received a Herculean pitching effort that, combined with a clutch pinch hit, led to a 13-inning battle - one that CLC ultimately dropped 5-3. The second game didn't offer the same theatrics, but provided plenty more offensive fireworks, most of which were supplied by Fergus Falls in an 18-5 drubbing.

CLC pitcher Keegan Meagher went eight innings in the first game, allowing no earned runs, while striking out three and walking none. Kyle Schaible came on in relief and pitched five innings, allowing only one earned run.

Six errors undermined the pitching efforts.

"I thought they both pitched great," Raiders coach Joel Lofstrom said. "We obviously made some errors on defense, which allowed them to stay in it. Our pitchers kept us in the game. Every time we made an error, they picked us up. It's a shame we couldn't score another run to get one of them the win."

The Raiders trailed 3-1 in the seventh inning when pinch-hitter Alex Larson delivered a two-run single that pushed the game into extra frames.

Fergus Falls jumped all over CLC starter Josh Ledin in the second game, staking a 7-0 lead in the second inning. CLC clawed back to make it 8-5 after the third inning, but allowed five runs in both the fifth and seventh innings. The Raiders weren't helped by seven errors.

Game one

Fergus Falls 100 001 100 000 2 - 5 10 3

Central Lakes 001 000 200 000 0 - 3 8 6

WP: Sokolofski. LP: Kyle Schaible. 2B: Josh Ledin.

Game two

Fergus Falls 430 150 5- 18 16 1

Central Lakes 004 100 0- 6 4 7

WP: Sokolofski. LP: Josh Ledin. Division: CLC 3-5. Overall: CLC 5-17. Next game: Central Lakes hosts Dakota County 2 p.m. Wednesday.