The Free Press
WILLMAR —
Savage battered Mankato pitching for 15 hits and capitalized on three errors to down the Mankato Twins 9-1 in Saturday’s second round of the Class B State Amateur Baseball Tournament.
Tony Peterson led the Savage attack with a three-run homer. Teammate Dylan Peterson added a two-run shot.
Anders Engberg got the win, limiting the Twins to five hits.
Tony Konicek was about the only bright spot for Mankato, going 2 for 4 with a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh. Kevin Regan took the loss, allowing five runs through seven innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
The Twins now drop to the elimination bracket where they will take on Rochester at 7:30 p.m. today in Bird Island. Mankato beat Rochester twice in their two regular-season meetings this season.
Raymond 4, Blue Earth 2
In a Class C game, Blue Earth was eliminated by Raymond at Willmar. Lee Hodges took the loss, allowing four earned runs on eight hits through seven innings. He fanned four and walked two.
“We had a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh and Raymond scored three runs on four straight singles,” Blue Earth coach Todd Schmidtke said. “That was all they needed.”
Josh Hadley, a draftee from Milroy, got the win.
Aaron Wendt was 2 for 4 with a solo home run for Blue Earth. Justin Schaible was also 2 for 4 while Kane Malo and Hodges each had doubles.
The Pirates end the season with a 27-8 record.
Howard Lake 8, New Ulm Brewers 2
The Brewers shot themselves in the foot with five errors in the Class C loss at Bird Island. Luke Gagnon smacked three hits and scored twice for the winners. Adam Koch got the victory.
Chris Peters had two hits and an RBI for New Ulm. Teammate Kyle Fischer also drove in a run.
Fischer took the loss, allowing seven runs on five hits over six innings. New Ulm ends the season 21-11.
Sacred Heart 6, Belle Plaine 3
Jimmy Hinderks gave up 13 hits but allowed just two earned runs to lead Sacred Heart to the Class C win at Willmar.
The Tigers trailed 4-3 after eight innings before Sacred Heart’s Hinderks put the game away with a two-run shot in the top of the ninth.
Shawn Larson was 3 for 4 with an RBI for Belle Plaine. Pat Schultz, Travis Latzke, Jeff Miller and Matt Schultz added two hits apiece.
Adam Johnson took the loss despite allowing just two earned runs.
The Tigers conclude the season with a 31-9 record.
