(Duluth, MN) The Duluth Huskies have announced three returning players to the roster for the team's 10^th anniversary season. Right-handed pitchers Joey Novak, Dylan Vogt, and Dylan Thomas rejoin the Huskies for the 2012 campaign. In 2011, all three helped lead Duluth to the second best ERA in the Northwoods league.

Novak, a Lakeville, MN native and junior at Harvard University in Boston, was a 2011 NWL All-Star finishing the season with an ERA of 1.82 in 13 games. He threw 74 innings and had a 4-4 record with 54 strikeouts and 18 walks. In 2011 for the Harvard Crimson, the 5’10” 180 pound righty was tied for fourth on the team with 9 appearances while getting the start in 2 of those appearances.

In 2011 for the Huskies, Vogt finished the season with an ERA of 2.55 in 17 games. He threw 35.1 innings with 30 strikeouts and 12 walks along with a 2-1 record and 2 saves. In 2011 for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the 6’2” 193 pound right hander tied for second on the team in appearances with 21, Started in three games for the Huskers, and ended the year with a 3-1 record and a 3.83 ERA. Pitching in 47.0 innings with 30 strikeouts and held opposing batters to a .236 average.

Thomas appeared in 7 games and had a 3.79 era with a record of 2-3 in 19 innings with 23 strikeouts and 8 walks. Thomas’s season ended pre-maturely as he had to leave the team early for family reasons.   In 2011 for Des Moines Area Community College, the 6’2” 200 pound right hander was second on the team in appearances with 21, starting in 4 games for the Bears finishing with a 6-2 record and an ERA of 4.03, throwing 51.1 innings with 51 strikeouts. Thomas is now a junior at St. Thomas University in Saint Paul, MN.

The Duluth Huskies returned to Wade Stadium on Saturday night to begin their final series of the season, a two game weekend series against the Rochester Honkers. The Huskies took the first game of the series in thrilling fashion, as Chris Manship (Kansas) belted a three-run in the bottom of the ninth, capping the 4-1 walk-off victory. Rochester scored the game's first run in the fourth inning, and held the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Marcus Riewer (Minnesota-Duluth) hit an RBI single, driving in Manship to knot the game at one run apiece. The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth inning, where Manship stepped to the plate and belted a three-run home run over the left field wall in the game's final at bat. Manship finished the game with 2 for 4 performance at the plate, scoring two runs and driving in three. Kevin Kuntz (Kansas) was 2 for 2 with one run scored. Dan Britts (Wisconsin-Stout) made the start for Duluth and struck out seven batters in six innings, allowing one run on only three hits. Chance Brull (Doane) picked up the win in three shutout innings.

The Huskies and Honkers will face off again Sunday evening at the Wade for the final game of the season, beginning at 5:05pm. The game will be a Cub Foods Sunday Family Fun Day, where 4 general admission tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 small sodas will cost only $30. Kids 12 and under can also run the bases after the game.