The Starbuck Stars won their sixth game in their last eight tries with a 10-0 shutout of Kensington, Saturday night at home.  The Stars scored at least one run in six of their seven at-bats, including three runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings to end the game with two outs in the bottom-half of the seventh due to the 10-run rule.

The Stars improved to 7-5 overall and are 4-4 in the County Line League.  Starbuck was also set to host Breckenridge, Friday, but that game was canceled.  In the results that follow is also information about the Stars’ 6-5 loss to Norway Lake-Sunburg from June 18.

Coming up this week is a home game with NLS at 7:30 p.m., Friday followed, after a short break for the Fourth of July holiday, by a game at home with Atwater at 3 p.m., Sunday, July 9.  Atwater and NL-Sunburg currently lead the County Line League with 3-1 records, followed by NLS (4-3), Starbuck (4-4), Regal (3-4) and Paynesville (1-5).

Stars 10, Kensington 0

The Starbuck Stars routed Kensington, Saturday night, 10-0, taking advantage of seven hits, eight walks and five players hit-by-pitch.

Dylan Alexander, coming off a great season for the high school Lakers, went 2-for-3 with four RBI, a double and walk.  He walked with the bases loaded in the fourth, doubled home two runs in the sixth and had an RBI-single in the seventh to end the game due to the 10-run rule with two outs.

Darion Alexander, Matt Gruber, Austin Ver Steeg, Torii Johnson and Marc Gruber also had hits for the Stars.  Matt Gruber also walked twice and stole two bases, while Mitchell Gruber also walked twice and was hit-by-a-pitch.

Matt Gruber started on the mound for the Stars, giving up two hits and striking out four, before giving way to Darion Alexander, who pitched the final five innings to earn the victory.  He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out 10.

NL-Sunburg 6, Stars 5

The Norway Lake-Sunburg Lakers scored the first six runs of the game and then held off a furious rally by the Stars in the ninth-inning during a 6-5 home win for the Lakers, Sunday, June 18.

The Stars outhit NL-Sunburg 11-8, but the Stars left 10 runners on base, including two in the fourth and eighth innings.

In the ninth, Jackson Hendrickson led off with a single and with one out, Andy Toop walked and Mitchell Gruber singled to load the bases.

A sacrifice fly by Michael Gruber plated one run and then, after Darion Alexander walked to load the bases again, Matt Gruber hit a grand-slam homer to pull the Stars to within one run at 6-5.

The rally wasn’t done though as Austin Ver Steeg singled and Aaron Ver Steeg doubled to put runners on second and third with two outs before Norway Lake-Sunburg got the final out on a strikeout.

Matt Gruber ended the game 2-for-5 with four RBI, while Austin Ver Steeg and Austin Friese were both 2-for-4, and Michael Gruber, Alexander, Aaron Ver Steeg, Jackson Hendrickson and Mitchell Gruber also had hits for the Stars.

Taking the loss was Darion Alexander, who pitched the first 7 2/3 innings before giving way to Michael and Matt Gruber.

Norway Lake-Sunburg 6, at Starbuck Stars 5

NL-Sunburg 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 — 6 8 2

Stars (6-5) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 — 5 11 0

HITTING:  STARS-Matt Gruber 2-for-5, 1 run, HR, 4 RBI,; Austin Ver Steeg 2-for-4, double, hbp; Austin Friese 2-for-4; Michael Gruber 1-for-4, RBI, sacfly; Darion Alexander 1-for-4, 1 run, bb; Aaron Ver Steeg 1-for-5, double; Jackson Hendrickson 1-for-5; Mitchell Gruber 1-for-2, 1 run; Marc Gruber 0-for-0, 1 run; Andrew Toop 0-for-3, 1 run, bb   . . . NL-SUN-Jared Cortez 2-for-4, 2 runs; Luke Ruter 2-for-3, 2 runs, RBI

PITCHING:  (ip-h-r-er-bb-so):  STARS-Darion Alexander (L, 2-1)  7 2/3-6-6-5-1-7; Michael Gruber 1/3-1-0-0-0-1; Matt Gruber 1-1-0-0-0-1. . . NL-SUN-Weston Gjerde (W)  9-11-5-5-2-9

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at Starbuck Stars 10, Kensington 0

Kensington 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 0

Starbuck (7-5) 1 1 0 1 1 3 3 — 10 7 0

HITTING:  STARS-Dylan Alexander 2-for-3, 4 RBI, bb, double, sacfly; Darion Alexander 1-for-3, 1 run, RBI, sb; Matt Gruber 1-for-2, 2 runs, RBI, 2 bb, double, 2 sb; Austin Ver Steeg 1-for-3, RBI, bb, sb; Torii Johnson 1-for-3, 2 runs, RBI, hbp; Marc Gruber 1-for-2, 1 run, RBI, hbp; Austin Friese 0-for-2, 2 runs, bb, hbp; Jackson Hendrickson 0-for-2, 1 run, bb, hbp; Mitchell Gruber 0-for-1, 1 run, RBI, 2 bb, hbp   . . . KENSING-three with one hit each

PITCHING:  (ip-h-r-er-bb-so):  STARS-Matt Gruber 2-2-0-0-0-4; Darion Alexander (W, 3-1)  5-1-0-0-1-10 . . . KENSING-UA-(L) 2-0-1-1-1-1; UA 1-2-1-1-1-2; UA 1 2/3-2-6-6-5-0

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