ST PETER — When Toby Turbes is on, the Mankato VFW Post 950 baseball team usually wins.
Friday afternoon was no exception as Turbes scattered seven hits over 5 2/3 innings to lead Mankato to a 7-3 victory over Hutchinson in the first round of the Southeast Subdistrict, Second District Baseball Tournament. Post 950 went on to defeat Lake Crystal 10-4 in the second round to advance to today’s winner’s bracket semifinals at the Veterans Field Complex.
Turbes relied almost exclusively on his fastball to down Hutchinson. He walked five, struck out seven and allowed just one earned run.
“The heat got to me after awhile,” Turbes said. “I was ready to come out when (coach Ethan Anderson) brought in (Zach) Woodside. I mixed in a few curve balls but it was mostly fastballs.”
Mankato built a 2-1 lead after the first two innings and then gradually pulled away. Tyler Swanson and Jimmy Kiefer led the Post 950 attack, smacking two hits apiece. Swanson doubled, scored a run and had an RBI while Kiefer doubled, scored twice and knocked in a run.
Ryan Willaert also drove in a pair of runs for the winners, ripping a double and walking three times. Woodside relieved in the sixth and gave up one run the rest of the way.
Mankato coach Ethan Anderson said Turbes is the closest thing his team has to a strikeout pitcher.
“He’s logged the most innings of anybody on our staff,” Anderson said. “I wouldn’t say he’s a power pitcher, but I think he had 23 strikeouts in his last 28 innings going into (Friday’s) game so he has that capability.
“Sometimes he struggles to keep his arm speed up on his breaking ball, but he threw a couple of nice curves (Friday). When he has both pitches working he can be pretty tough.”
Against Lake Crystal, Swanson went the first five innings for the win. He yielded two earned runs on five hits, fanned five and walked five. Seth Allan finished up, allowing one unearned run on one hit.
Mankato (8-14) plays a semifinal game at 3:30 p.m. today at Veterans Field.
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