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Holmen's American Legion baseball team got 12 strikeouts from Levi Adank in its season opener Monday at Sparta. But it still wasn't enough for Holmen to get a win, as the Legion was unable to score in each of its final four at-bats in a 5-4 loss.

Adank, who pitched at Viterbo University this spring, also had early control problems according to Holmen head coach Duane Vike, with three walks, a hit batsmen and two swinging bunts in the bottom of the first turning into four runs. Adank recorded 12 strikeouts, but also allowed a two-out, RBI bloop single in the second.

The Legion took the initial lead when Ross Jenks led off the game with a double and scored, part of a three-hit game for the 2008 Holmen High School graduate. Shane Peterson and Nick Salinas, one of five 2007 Holmen grads on the roster, also had RBI singles.

Trey Candahl, hitting in the No. 6 spot after hitting in the No. 2 spot late in the high school season, and Corey Jessessky, had two hits each. Jessessky also lined out to center in his other at-bat. Adank also had a safety in the Legion's 10-hit attack.

But the early offense dried late, as Holmen had just one baserunner the last three innings. In addition to Salinas and Adank, Mitch Peterson, Drew King and Spencer Schaller are the other 2007 grads on the roster.

While Adank created too many of his own problems with his poor early command, he was able to pitch out of trouble in each of the final three innings. Sparta had runners at second and third with one out, at third with two outs, and at second and third with no outs in their final three at-bats, but did not score.

The Legion's Saturday game with La Crosse was rained out and may be made up as part of a doubleheader when the two teams play July 1 at Copeland Park. Holmen hosts its first games of the season this week, a doubleheader against Viroqua Friday at 4 p.m. and a single game with Winona Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.