The Starbuck Jr. Legion (age 16 and under) opened up the 2024 summer season with a doubleheader sweep of Kerkhoven last Tuesday night at home.

Starbuck won both games, 10-6 and 11-0 to start off right where it left off last year.  In fact, the team was 10-7 overall last year,including a 9-3 mark in league play.  

The 2023 season came to an end with a 9-0 loss to Holdingford in the playoffs.  Starbuck had opened up the playoffs with a 10-0 win over Long Prairie before being sent to the loser’s bracket with a loss to Spicer, 6-0.

Starbuck is coached this year by Chris Lence and Andy Goracke.

Starbuck is set to host Spicer for a league doubleheader, Tuesday, June 18 and Upsala, Tuesday, June 25.

•  Members of the Starbuck Jr. Legion, coached by Chris Lence and Andy Goracke, are AJ Svec, Aron Majerus, Ben Toohey, Braylen Scharmer, Cale Johnsrud, Callum Disrud-Bailey, Connor Erickson, Ethan Jacobs, Gavin Flaten, Harley Johnson, Luke Danielson, Marc Gruber, Miles Wildman, Oliver Vanderhagen, Riley Dell, Tate Anderson and Tyson Metz.

Starbuck 10-11, KMS 6-0

The Starbuck Jr. Legion opened up the season with a doubleheader sweep of KMS last Tuesday night at home, 10-6 and 11-0.

In the opener, Braylen Scharmer struck out 12 batters over 5 1/3 innings to earn the win.  He allowed three hits and four runs.  Pitching in relief were Connor Erickson and Ethan Jacobs.

Tyson Metz and Oliver VanderHagen led the offense with two hits each.  Metz was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI, while VanderHagen was 2-for-4 with a run and RBI.

Adding one hit each were Miles Wildman, Marc Gruber, Erickson and Tate Anderson.

Starbuck had eight different players score at least one run, including Gruber and Wildman who both scored twice.

Starbuck also had 10 stolen bases in the nightcap with AJ Svec, Gruber and Anderson each sniping two bases.

•  In the second game, Riley Dell started on the mound, but left after three innings after giving up just one hit with four strikeouts.  Jacobs pitched two hitless innings to earn the victory.

Offensively, Starbuck’s first five batters went a combined 10-for-17 with eight runs and nine RBI.

Erickson was 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI and was also hit-by-a-pitch, while Wildman was 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI and a walk, Dell was 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI and Jacobs was 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk and was also hit-by-a-pitch.

Gruber added a hit, run, RBI and walk, while Metz had a hit and RBI and Anderson was 1-for-2 with two more runs.