By John Rittenhouse
The Hills Thunder opened the 2002 amateur baseball season by playing two games at different sites Sunday.
Hills hosted Luverne for the opener Sunday afternoon and dropped a 12-0 decision to the Redbirds. The Thunder then traveled to Pipestone for an evening game against the A's, who saddled Hills with a 5-1 setback.
Hills was unable to generate much offense during the opener against Luverne.
Luverne limited the Thunder to one hit in the game. Eric Harnack doubled in the first inning.
The Redbirds scored single runs in the first and fourth innings, they plated seven runs in the third and added three more in the fifth to win by the 10-run rule after five innings of play.
Derek Sammons started the game on the mound and took the loss. He allowed 10 hits in two and two-third innings. Jarud Lang pitched two and one-third innings of one-hit relief.
The nightcap in Pipestone was more competitive.
Pipestone led 1-0 after two innings of play, but Hills tied the game when Wade Jellema singled and scored on Harnack's sacrifice fly in the top of the third.
The A's went on to score two runs in the bottom of the third before plating single runs in the fifth and eighth innings to prevail by four.
Chad Rauk worked the first seven innings on the mound and took the loss. He allowed one earned run, four hits and three walks while fanning seven batters. Lange pitched one inning of scoreless ball.
Scott Harnack and Jellema had two hits each to lead the 0-2 Thunder, who host the A's at 2 p.m. Sunday.