---

   Hill City/Northland Storm improved to 2-0 on the season with a decisive 11-1 win over the Laporte Wildcats on Tuesday, April 14 in Remer.

   Coming off a 10-4 season-opening win over Mountain Iron-Buhl, the Storm continued to show consistency at the plate and in the field, putting together another strong all-around performance.

   Hill City/Northland jumped out early and never looked back, stringing together hits and taking advantage of scoring opportunities to build a commanding lead. The offense was led by a balanced lineup, with several players contributing at the plate. Avery Ruyak and Charity Berg each reached base multiple times, while Pearl Johnson added a key hit to drive in runs. Jasmine Kingsley and Maddie Barnes also contributed offensively, helping keep pressure on the Wildcats’ defense.

   In the circle, the Storm delivered another solid outing, limiting Laporte to just one run. The Storm’s aggressive baserunning also played a role in the win, as they were able to move runners into scoring position and capitalize throughout the game.

   With back-to-back wins to start the season, HCN appears to be finding its rhythm early. The Storm will look to carry that momentum forward as the schedule continues.

   HCN played Ely on Friday, April 17 and Deer River on Monday, April 20. Scores from those games will be published in next week’s edition. The Storm will continue a busy stretch with games scheduled Tuesday, April 21 at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, Wednesday, April 22 at Carlton and Friday, April 24 when they host McGregor in Hill City.

---