Windom 000 001 0 = 1-6-1
Pipestone 201 100 x = 4-8-0
The Windom Eagle baseball team couldn’t come up with timely hits and saw a pair of double plays eliminate potential scoring threats Saturday.
That resulted in a 4-1 loss to Pipestone in the opening round of the Section 3AA Tournament, played at Luverne. The loss ended the Eagles’ season with an 11-10 overall record.
The Eagles had the makings of a scoring threat to start the game, with a leadoff single and a stolen base putting a runner in scoring position. But a sharp grounder to shortstop ended up erasing the Eagles’ runner trying to advance to third, and a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.
Pipestone used that momentum to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. One run scored on a throwing error following a dropped third strike and a second run scored on a passed ball.
Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth, misfortune again struck the Eagles. After a leadoff double, the Eagles lined into a double play, essentially ending a threat.
Windom did get on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with consecutive singles from Conner Redman, Austin Doorenbos and Kade Sammons to start the innings. Braydon Kreofsky drove in the Eagle run with a sacrifice fly, but the Eagles had a runner thrown out at third base trying to advance on the play. A groundout ended the potential scoring threat.
Windom was retired in order in the seventh, ending the game.
Redman finished with two hits for the Eagles in the loss.
Noah Armstrong took the pitching loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in three innings. He walked one and struck out eight.
MCC 100 010 1 = 3-5-1
RRC/WWG 020 211 x = 6-8-2
RRC/WWG 102 010 0 = 4-4-1
Wabasso 002 001 0 = 3-4-0
Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove got two sterling pitching performances and had timely hitting throughout the day Saturday to advance in the winner’s bracket of the Section 3A Tournament at Wabasso.
The Falcons opened the day with a 6-3 victory over Murray County Central. RRC/WWG then knocked off top-seeded Wabasso in a 4-3 thriller.
In the opener against MCC, the Falcons trailed 1-0 after one inning but took the lead in the bottom of the second. Sam Kleven hit an RBI sacrifice fly and Isaac Simonson smacked an RBI single.
The Falcons stretched the lead to 4-1 in the fourth when Simonson ripped a two-run single.
Cory Anderson added an RBI double in the fifth, giving the Falcons a 5-2 lead. RRC/WWG scored its final run when Simonson stole home on an alert baserunning play.
Simonson finished with three hits and three RBI in the win. Anderson added three hits.
Luke Willhite earned the complete game pitching win, scattering five hits. He struck out eight.
In the nightcap against top-seeded Wabasso, the Falcons jumped to an early lead. In the top of the first, Mason Irlbeck singled, stole second, advanced on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
The Falcons added a pair of runs in the third, as Irlbeck hit an RBI single and later scored on a wild pitch.
Wabasso cut the Falcon lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third, but the Falcons pushed the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth when Irlbeck launched a solo home run over the right field fence.
Wabasso cut the Falcon lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth and had the potential tying and lead runs in scoring position, but Ashton Juhnke came on in relief to record a critical strikeout to end the threat. Juhnke then coaxed a weak fly ball and a pair of grounders in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win.
Irlbeck finished with three hits, three runs scored and two RBI in the win. He also was the winning pitcher, allowing three runs on three hits in 5-1/3 innings of work. He walked five and struck out five. Juhnke picked up a save with 1-2/3 innings of shutout ball, striking out one.
MLAC 000 00 = 0-1-6
Loyola 254 5x = 16-9-0
The Mt. Lake Area-Comfrey baseball team couldn’t keep pace with Mankato Loyola’s offense in Saturday’s opening round of the Section 2A Tournament at ISG Field in Mankato.
Loyola blew the game open with a five-run second inning, rolling to a 16-0 shutout win to end the Wolverines’ season with a 3-15 overall record.
Offensively, the Wolverines were silenced throughout the game, finishing with only two baserunners. Sam Pidde recorded a one-out single in the top of the first inning and Grant Oakland was hit by a pitch with two outs in the second. Neither advanced farther than first base.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders plated a pair of runs in the first, then strung together five runs with two outs in the bottom of the second to take a 7-0 lead. Loyola was aided by six Wolverine errors in the game, which led to 13 unearned runs.
Loyola added four more runs in the fourth and capped the game with a five-run fourth, highlighted by a grand slam home run.
Alex Blom took the pitching loss for the Wolverines, allowing 11 runs on seven hits in 2-1/3 innings. He walked three. Tyler Dick allowed five runs on two hits in 1-2/3 innings. He struck out two.
Next games: Check for updates after each game.
RRC/WWG: vs. Adrian-Ellsworth (at Lamberton), June 1
