Horizon gaining confidence after second straight win

Led by Cheyne Swick, Sheldon Diers and Aaron Griffin, Horizon pounded out 11 hits and used four different pitchers to take care of Lyle, which had beaten the Hawks in another non-conference game on April 8.

“It’s good to have Sheldon back in the lineup,” coach Jim Brown said of the team’s senior first baseman/pitcher, who knocked in three runs Tuesday after missing most of the past three weeks.

“We’re finally starting to build some consistency with our lineup, and it’s no coincidence that we’re starting to win games.”

Horizon was coming off a 5-4 win over Culver in the second half of a May 2 doubleheader, and with another doubleheader Friday at Wahtonka (results not available at press time), Brown chose to save his pitching staff.

Brian Stenberg pitched two innings, and was followed by brother Michael for two innings, John Winters for one and Diers for one.

“Our strategy was to not overthrow, but also to be ready for Friday,” he said.

Brown and the Hawks are focused on taking at least one game from Wahtonka — a team they hadn’t ever beaten until April 22.

“We haven’t won a league series in nearly five years,” Brown said, “and it would be nice to beat Wahtonka on their field.”

The Hawks are eyeing third place in the Big Sky West with six league games left to play. Condon (5-1) and Sherman County (5-1) are leading the way, with Culver at 3-4 and Horizon at 2-4.