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ELROSA — Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg made the most of its one opportunity. And the Fighting Saints made sure that Sauk Centre wasn’t going to get on the board.
In the opening game of the MaxBat Classic on Friday, the KMS baseball team held on for a 1-0 victory at Saints Field.
In the top of the third inning, Fighting Saints freshman Luke Jeseritz came through for the game’s only run. With two outs, Jeseritz, the No. 9 hitter, hit a bloop single to right field. He made it to second on an Isaac Rudningen single, then advanced to third on a throwing error. A wild pitch by the Mainstreeters’ Matthew Warring allowed Jeseritz the time he needed to record the only run.
From there, KMS’ defense was the star of the game.
In the bottom of the third, Sauk Centre appeared ready to score on a sac fly. But Fighting Saints center fielder Alex Call caught the Warring pop fly then threw home to catcher Jared Cortez. Cortez chased down and tagged out Zach Bick for the final out.
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The Mainstreeers threatened again in the fourth with a runner on third before KMS pitcher Wylee Lottman got the strikeout for the third out. Call stepped onto the mound in the sixth two outs and runners on second and third. He got the strikeout to neutralize the threat.
Then in the seventh, the Fighting Saints picked off Ethan Nathe at third and threw out Bick at home for the final out of the game.
Lottman got the win after striking out five in four innings. Cortez got the hold after throwing 1-2/3 scoreless innings of relief while Call struck out two in the four-out save.
Rudningen, Call, Jeseritz and Jaiden Henjum each accounted for the Fighting Saints’ four hits.
KMS (9-0) takes on Browerville/Eagle Valley at 1 p.m. Saturday in Day 2 of the MaxBat Classic.
MaxBat Classic
KMS 1, Sauk Centre 0
KMS 001 000 0-1 4 3
Sauk Centre 000 000 0-0 3 1
Hitting - KMS: Isaac Rudningen 1-3, Alex Call 1-3, Jaiden Henjum 1-3, Luke Jeseritz 1-2 r … Sauk Centre: Hunter Danielson 1-3, Matthew Warring 1-2 bb, Logan Meyer 1-2
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - KMS: Wylee Lottman (W) 4-2-0-0-3-5, Jared Cortez 1.2-1-0-0-0-0, Call (Sv) 1.1-0-0-0-0-2 … Sauk Centre: Warring (L) 7-4-1-1-1-6
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BBE 9, Browerville/EV 1
Will Van Beck pitched a two-hitter, striking out 15 and walking one, to lead Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa to the victory over Browerville/Eagle Valley at Elrosa.
Van Beck also went 3-for-3 with a walk and four runs scored. Chase Wright was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI for the Jaguars.
BBE faces Sauk Centre at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Elrosa for Day 2 of the MaxBat Classic.
Browerville/EV 000 010 0-1 2 5
BBE 202 113 x-9 8 2
Hitting - Browerville/EV: H. Puck 1-3 r, R. Riedel 1-2 rbi … BBE: Will Van Beck 3-3 r-4 bb, Chase Wright 3-4 r-2 rbi-2, Gavin Kampsen 1-3 rbi-2 bb, Ashton Dingmann 0-3 rbi, Blaine Fischer 1-3 bb, Easton Hagen 0-3 r
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Browerville/EV: P. Duncan (L) 5-8-6-5-1-2, M. Maloney 1-0-3-0-2-2 … BBE: Will Van Beck (W) 7-2-1-1-1-15
Central Lakes
Game 1: Willmar 4, Alexandria 3
Willmar scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning at Knute Nelson Field in Alexandria.
Willmar coach Tom DeBoer called it “unconventional.”
Mason Madsen smacked a single with runners on first and second with one out. Alex Schramm was sent home from second by DeBoer and called out at the plate. Cayden Hansen, the runner on first, kept running while Alex tried to make a play on Madsen, who was headed to second. Hansen scored the winning run.
“Cayden Hansen scored all the way from first base,” DeBoer said. “A lot of players will sit and watch (when a runner is thrown out at home). But our guys kept going, like we want them to. I didn’t send Cayden. He did that all on his own. It was a nice play.“It went from a huge momentum play for Alex to a huge momentum play for us.”
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Ian Koosman got the complete-game win, striking out 13 and walking two. He allowed four hits and three earned runs.
Alexandria 200 000 1-3 4 1
Willmar 002 100 1-4 5 1
Hitting - Alexandria: Lake Hagen-Koelbl 1-3 2b rbi, Jaxon Schoenrock 2-3 rbi sb, William Suchy 1-3, Reed Reisdorf 0-3 rbi bb, Brock Lerfald 0-4 r sb, Nathan Knoll 0-0 r, Grady Anderson 0-0 r … Willmar: Brandt Sunder 1-3 r rbi bb sb, Cayden Hansen 2-3 2b r rbi-2 sb, Mason Madsen 1-4 rbi, Jason Malmgren 1-2 bb, Carter Schow 0-2 r, Sam Raitz 0-2 r bb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Alexandria: Jonathan Hennen 4-3-3-3-4-8, Nicholas Levasseur (L) 2.2-2-1-1-1-4 … Willmar: Ian Koosman (W) 7-4-3-3-2-13
Game 2: Willmar 8, Alexandria 4
Mason Madsen went 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk and two RBI for Willmar in its doubleheader sweep at Alexandria.
Madsen’s two-run triple came in the fifth inning when Willmar was trailing 4-3.
“Mason had a really good day at the plate,” Willmar head coach Tom DeBoer said.Brant Sunder went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ian Koosman was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for Willmar.
Cayden Hansen got the complete-game win on the mound, striking out six, walking no one and allowing one earned run.
Willmar (8-4) plays Monday at Fergus Falls.
Willmar 210 030 2-8 11 2
Alexandria 210 100 0-4 9 0
Hitting - Willmar: Brandt Sunder 2-4 r rbi, Alex Schramm 1-3 r-2, Ian Koosman 2-4 r-2 rbi, Cayden Hansen 1-4 rbi-2, Mason Madsen 2-3 3b rbi-2 bb, Jason Malmgren 1-3 2b r, Carter Schow 1-1 rbi-2, Ridgley Hulstein 1-3 r, Sam Etterman 0-0 r … Alexandria: Reed Reisdorf 1-4 r, Brock Lerfald 2-4 r sb, Caleb Runge 2-4, Jaxon Schoenrock 1-4 r, Jonathan Hennen 1-3, Nate Hammerback 2-3 rbi, Lake Hagen-Koelbl 0-4 rbi, Grady Anderson 0-3 r
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Willmar: Hansen (W) 7-9-4-1-0-6 … Alexandria: Parker Jendro (W) 4.1-9-6-6-0-6, Spencer Schmidt 2.2-2-2-2-1-2
West Central
Game 1: Minnewaska 10, BOLD 0
Torii Johnson tossed a five-inning no-hitter to lead Minnewaska past BOLD at Glenwood.
The senior right-hander struck out eight and walked no one, hitting one batter. He also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and two RBI.
BOLD 000 00-0 0 0
Minnewaska 190 00-10 12 0
Hitting - BOLD: No hits … Minnewaska: Jacob Blair 1-3 r-2 bb, Torii Johnson 3-4 r rbi-2, Dylan Alexander 1-3 r rbi-2 bb, Jack Larson 1-3 r rbi, Blake Andreas 0-1 r, Jack Majerus 2-3 r bb, Paul Johnson 0-3 r rbi, Noah Jensen 1-2 rbi bb, Hunter Johnson 1-1 r rbi bb-2, Nathan Dell 2-3 r rbi
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - BOLD: Rylan Gass (L) 1.1-6-9-3-2-1, Max Benson 2.2-5-1-1-4-2 … Home: Torii Johnson (W) 5-0-0-0-0-8
Game 2: Minnewaska 13, BOLD 1
Minnewaska completed the sweep over BOLD with another five-inning win at Glenwood.
Dylan Alexander went 2-for-3 with three runs, an RBI and a stolen base. Jacob Blair was 2-for-2 with a double, a run, a stolen base and two RbI and PJ Johnson went 2-for-2 with a run, a walk, a stolen base and three RBI for the Lakers.
Hunter Johnson gave up one run over four innings for the pitching win.
Jack Kaise was 1-for-2 for the Warriors.
Minnewaska 520 33-13 10 0
BOLD 100 00-1 1 1
Hitting - Minnewaska: Jacob Blair 2-2 2b r rbi-2 sb, Dylan Alexander 2-2 r-3 rbi sb, Jack Larson 1-3 r-2 bb, Jack Majerus 1-1 r-2 rbi bb sb-3, PJ Johnson 2-2 r rbi-3 bb sb, Noah Jensen 1-4 2b rbi-2, Hunter Johnson 1-3 rbi-2 bb, Torii Johnson 0-4 r 0-0 r sb, Alex Panitzke 0-0 r bb, Ryland Martin 0-0 r … BOLD: Jack Kaiser 1-2, Tate Sheehan 0-2 r bb sb, Carson Edwards 0-2 rbi
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Minnewaska: Hunter Johnson (W) 4-1-1-1-3-2, Martin 1-0-0-0-0-3 … BOLD: Sheehan (L) 3-7-9-7-4-0, Hayden Edwards 2-3-4-4-3-3
Melrose 7, Montevideo 3
Melrose got the home win over Montevideo in West Central Conference play.
The Thunder Hawks play host to New London-Spicer for a non-conference game at 4 p.m. Monday.
Camden
RCW 11, Canby 1
Tyler Froland hit a two-run home run for Renville County West in a five-inning victory against Canby at Sacred Heart.
Tyler Amdsen was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored for the Jaguars. Carter Rice finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run.
Froland also got the win on the mound, holding the Lancers to one run while striking out five over four innings.
Canby 001 00-1 1 5
RCW 231 14-11 7 2
Hitting - Canby: Easton Antony 0-2 r, Evan Engesmoe 1-2 … RCW: Camden Wohlman 1-4 r, Tyler Froland 1-2 hr r-2 rbi-2 bb, Tyler Amsden 2-2 r rbi-2 bb, Carter Rice 2-4 r rbi-3, Caleb Hoff 1-3 r rbi bb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Canby: Colton Ruether (L) 2.2-3-6-3-6-6, Brady Hulzebos 2.0-4-5-3-2-2 … RCW: Froland (W) 4-1-1-0-0-5, Brenden Peterson 1-0-0-0-0-2
Non-Conference
Litchfield 15, Maple Lake 3
Sophomore Hunter Schultz hit two home runs and freshman Anthony Estrada hit another in Litchfield’s victory at Maple Lake.
The game was initially scheduled to be played in Litchfield, but was moved because of unplayable field conditions caused by Thursday’s severe weather.
Caden Besemer got the complete-game, five-inning pitching win. He has three victories this spring.
Litchfield is 5-8 overall.
Litchfield 046 14-15 16 1
Maple Lake 003 00-3 4 2
Hitting - Litchfield: Bauer Wahl 3-4 r rbi sb-2, Hunter Schultz 3-4 hr-2 r-2 rbi-4, Daniel Estrada 2-4 r sb, Caden Besemer 1-4 2b r, Beau Weseloh 1-3 2b r-2 rbi, Connor Taber 1-3 2b r, Ashton Sullivan 2-3 2b r-2 rbi-2, Anthony Estrada 2-4 hr r rbi-3 sb, Jack McCann 1-2 r-2 rbi bb sb-2, Calvin Jones 0-1 r rbi sb, Chase Housman 0-0 r … Maple Lake: J. Gendreau 1-2, N. Zander 2-3 2b rbi-2, N. Josh 1-2 r rbi, S. Marquette 0-1 r bb
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) - Litchfield: Besemer (W) 5-4-3-3-3-3 … Maple Lake: J. Faue (L) 2.1-8-8-7-0-1, C. Scanlon 1.2-6-5-5-1-2, Jost 1-2-2-1-1-1
