Windom 100 200 020 = 5-9-1
Litchfield 000 000 000 = 0-3-2
The Windom Pirates advanced to the final weekend of the Class C Amateur State Baseball Tournament with a dominant 5-0 victory over the Litchfield Blues Friday in Jordan.
The Pirates capitalized on timely hitting and aggressive baserunning on offense. Meanwhile, two Pirate pitchers combined to toss a three-hit shutout and picked three Litchfield baserunners off the bases.
The Pirates wasted no time jumping to a lead. Chase McDaniel started the game with a line drive to center field that skidded past the diving Litchfield outfielder, leading to a leadoff triple. Keenan Wenzel followed with a high infield chopper to plate the run, giving Windom a 1-0 lead.
Litchfield put together its best scoring threat of the game in the third inning, starting with a walk and a single. But Pirate pitcher Collin Lovell picked the runner off second base. Then, after a fielder’s choice grounder, Lovell picked a runner off first base to end the inning.
The Pirates padded their lead in the fourth inning. Quintin Tietz hit a one-out single and stole second and third. Alex Borsgard drew a walk. Kobe Lovell then hit a high infield chopper, scoring Tietz and pushing Borsgard to second. Luke Gilbertson followed with an RBI single to left field, giving the Pirates a 3-0 lead.
Litchfield had just one more baserunner reach second base the rest of the game, coming with two outs in the fifth inning.
In the top of the eighth, the Pirates extended the lead. McDaniel walked and advanced to third on a Wenzel single. The attempt to throw McDaniel out at third sailed wide of the bag, allowing McDaniel to score. A bunt single by Drew Rothenberger put runners at the corners. Windom scored its final run when, for the second game in a row, Alex Fink laid down a squeeze bunt for an RBI.
Litchfield had its final scoring threat in the bottom of the eighth with a one-out walk that chased Collin Lovell from the game after 7-⅓ strong innings. Kobe Lovell came on, inducing a fly-out and picking the runner off first base, ending the inning. He then retired the Blues in order in the ninth, sending the Pirates to the final weekend of the tournament.
Tietz and Gilbertson had two hits each in the win.
Collin Lovell scattered three hits, walked three and struck out seven for the pitching victory.
With the win, the Pirates advance to face the Hanska Lakers in the state quarterfinals. That game will be played Friday at Jordan, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The winner advances to the semifinals to face either the Glencoe Brewers or the Elrosa Saints. That game will be Saturday in New Prague, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The state championship game will be played Sunday in New Prague, starting at 6 p.m.
