LEGION LEAD PIC.jpg — Shortstop Mason Omberg backs up third baseman Blaine Henderson as he stretches across the diamond to make a nice throw and putout to first baseman Kyler Johnston Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Robert Williams / Tribune

By Robert Williams

July 01, 2021 at 4:28 PM

Detroit Lakes Post 15 compiled 31 hits and outscored Thief River Falls Post 117 by a combined score of 29-1 in an American Legion baseball doubleheader sweep Wednesday, June 30, at Washington Park.

Both games ended early by mercy rule with DL opening with an 11-1 victory in six innings and polishing off the nightcap quickly 18-0 in five frames.

Jacob Thomas, Trevor Schnathorst and Jordan Tucker combined on a game one 7-hitter. Thomas was the pitcher of record and picked up a win in his fifth consecutive start.

Thief River Falls had a long day after taking its only lead and only run of the day on a Zach Westlund homer off Thomas in the first inning.

Tucker, Thomas and Kyler Johnston all scored with two outs on an error, Johnston’s RBI double and a single by Zack Oistad to bring Johnston home in a three-run home half of the first.

LEGION 2.jpg — Detroit Lakes second baseman Bradly Swiers makes an acrobatic play for an out during the opening of a doubleheader sweep of Thief River Falls Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Robert Williams / Tribune

Blaine Henderson scored DL’s fourth run in the second employing the double steal of home with Grady Kirchner nabbing second base.

Post 15 scored in each of the first four innings. Thomas, Oistad and Mason Omberg made it 7-1 after three and Tucker scored in the fourth on a Johnston grounder.

After a scoreless fifth, DL ended the game on runs by Tucker, Markus Lyman and Jake Bishop on a game-ending passed ball.

Tucker led all hitters going 3-4 with three runs scored. Kirchner, Oistad and Omberg each had two hits. Johnston had two RBI.

LEGION TRF 3.jpg — Trevor Schnathorst, pictured, went back-to-back with teammate Markus Lyman in the second game. Both players homered in succession to cap an eight-run first inning. Robert Williams / Tribune

Detroit Lakes 18, Thief River Falls 0

Thief River Falls (1-12) played four games in two days after picking up its first win of the season, a 10-9 walk-off win over the Moorhead Blues in Moorhead Tuesday. Detroit Lakes had one day of rest over the past five days.

Game two was over in a hurry after an eight-run Post 15 first inning.

A quick double play on a Kirchner pop to shortstop erased a Schnathorst hit and Post 117 starter Jack Rosendahl looked like he was nearly out of the inning.

Tucker started the eight-run rally with a double, scoring on an Oistad single. Henderson kept it going with a base hit to score Oistad. Bradly Swiers bunted to score Mason Omberg. Blaine Henderson scored on a liner to center by Korth. Lyman hit a three-run homer to right to bring Swiers and Korth home for a 7-0 lead.

DL went back-to-back with a solo shot by Schnathorst to cap the scoring barrage.

Post 15 chased Rosendahl in a five-run second inning and followed up with five more runs in the third.

DL outhit TRF 17-4 in the game.

Lyman was 2-4 with five RBI and two runs scored to lead the offense.

Kirchner knocked in three runs; Schnathorst, Henderson and Swiers had two RBI each.

Swiers pitched four innings of four-hit, shutout ball to get the win. Hunter Korth cleaned up the fifth inning on seven pitches.

DL improved to 14-8 overall. Post 15 hosts its annual alumni game Saturday, July 3, at 3 p.m. DL hosts Frazee the night of Fourth of July; first pitch is at 7 p.m.

Detroit Lakes 11, Thief River Falls 1 (6 inn.)

TRF 100 000 - 1 7 2

DET 313 103 - 11 14 0

WP: Jacob Thomas; LP: Jake Zavoral.

HR: Zach Westlund.

Detroit Lakes 18, Thief River Falls 0 (5 inn.)

TRF 000 00 - 0 4 2

DET 855 0X - 18 17 0

WP: Bradly Swiers; LP: Jack Rosendahl.

HR: Markus Lyman, Trevor Schnathorst.

Read more stories by Robert Williams here .