Clearwater 000 020 000 = 2-5-3
Windom 200 000 001 = 3-12-1
The Windom Pirates kept their season alive in thrilling fashion late Saturday night, capturing a walk-off 3-2 victory over the Clearwater River Cats in the opening round of the Class C Amateur Baseball State Tournament, played at Shakopee.
The Pirates jumped out to a quick lead, scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning. Chase McDaniel led off with a double and scored on a Jake Tauer single. Drew Rothenberger added a one-out double for a 2-0 lead.
The Pirates had numerous scoring chances throughout the rest of the game, piling up 12 hits, but were unable to push another run across the plate until the final inning.
Meanwhile, Clearwater broke through against Pirate pitcher Collin Lovell in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with a pair of walks and a single. The Pirates turned a slick 1-2-3 double play, but a two-out, two-run single tied the game at 2-2.
Clearwater got a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh, but reliever Kobe Lovell came on, coaxing a pair of groundouts and a line-drive flyout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, a bizarre moment helped the Pirates seize momentum. After a one-out walk to Tauer, Keenan Wenzel hit a broken-bat foul ball that shattered one of the stadium’s lights, causing a lengthy delay to clean the glass. When play resumed, Wenzel hit a line-drive single and Rothenberger drew a six-pitch walk, loading the bases.
Alex Fink then laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt, plating Tauer with the game-winning run.
Wenzel had three hits in the win. McDaniel, Fink and Alex Borsgard had two hits each.
Collin Lovell worked the first six innings, allowing four hits and four walks while striking out eight. Kobe Lovell picked up the pitching victory, tossing three shutout innings of relief. He allowed one hit and struck out one.
With the win, the Pirates advance to the tournament’s round of 16, where they will face the Litchfield Blues on Friday in Jordan, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
