The Starbuck Jr. Legion baseball team won its own tournament over the weekend winning three-straight games. Team members in the front row from left are: Jonah Walling, Alex Panitzke, Jack Majerus, PJ Johnson, Jackson Holmes and Caden Larson. In the back row, from left are: Coach Andy Goracke, Levi Johnson, Dylan Alexander, Ryland Martin, Austin Ballhagen, Nathan Dell, Zach Gugisberg, Noah Jensen and Coach Jeff Panitzke. Team members not pictured: Austin Weber, Gavin Cain and Thomas Poegel.

The Starbuck Jr. Legion baseball team kept on winning last week, defeating Atwater on Tuesday and then Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (KMS) on Friday before winning three more games in a tournament at Marthaler Field over the weekend.  The five consecutive wins gave Starbuck a 17-3 record on the season.

In the weekend tournament, Starbuck defeated DGF in the first game Saturday 8-3, then defeated Hutchinson 5-3 later on Saturday and won the tournament with a win on Sunday over Paynesville 5-3.

Tuesday, July 5

Marthaler Field

Starbuck 10 Atwater 0

The Starbuck Jr. Legion used two pitchers and neither allowed a single hit in the 10-0 shutout.

Nathan Dell earned the win for Starbuck, not allowing a hit or a run in his four innings of work.  Ryland Martin was also tough on the mound not allowing any hits or runs in his one inning in relief.

Starbuck got things started offensively in the first inning when Jack Majerus doubled to score the first run.  Starbuck added five runs in the fifth inning lead by singles by Dylan Alexander and Noah Jensen, walks by Levi Johnson and Majerus and an error on a ball put in play by Caden Larson. 

Starbuck racked up 10 hits in the game.  Austin Weber and Alexander both had three hits in the game and Jensen had two stolen bases.  Starbuck totaled seven stolen bases in the game.

Friday, July 8

Starbuck 14 KMS 3

Jack Majerus picked up four hits leading Starbuck to a 14-3 win over KMS. Majerus singled in the first, singled in the second, singled in the third and singled again in the fourth. 

Starbuck scored one run in the first inning, then added seven runs in the second inning as the hit parade started.  Singles by Austin Weber, Caden Larson, Ryland Martin and Nathan Dell, and a ball put in play by Alex Panitzke all contributed to the big offensive inning.

Larson got the win for Starbuck giving up just three runs on four hits over three innings of work.  He struck out four and didn’t issue a walk.  Weber and Panitzke entered the game out the bullpen and helped close out the game in relief.

Starbuck collected 13 hits in the game.  Majerus lead with four hits and Weber, Martin and Noah Jensen all had multiple hits.

Saturday, July 9

Marthaler Field-Game 1

Starbuck 8  DGF 3

In the weekend tourney, the Starbuck Jr. Legion started out by winning the first game 8-3 scoring a run in the first inning and then adding three more runs in the third to pull away for good.  PJ Johnson started the scoring when he doubled in the first scoring a run.

Dylan Alexander singled scoring one and then Johnson doubled scoring another run in third.  Noah Jensen doubled scoring the third run in that inning.

Starbuck totaled 12 hits in the game behind multiple hits by Johnson, Ryland Martin and Alexander.  Johnson led the offense, going 3-3 from the plate.

Saturday, July 9

Marthaler Field-Game 2

Starbuck 5 Hutchinson 3

Again, Starbuck opened the first inning by scoring two runs when PJ Johnson doubled on an 0-1 count.

Starbuck pulled away for good with two more runs in the third.  In that inning Noah Jensen doubled on the first pitch, scoring one run and Ryland Martin singled to score another run.

PJ Johnson was credited with the win going six innings and allowing two runs on five hits.  He struck out six.  Jack Majerus threw one inning in relief.

Majerus, Dylan Alexander, Johnson, Martin, Jensen and Alex Panitzke all had one hit to lead the Starbuck offense.

Sunday, July 10

Marthaler Field-Game 3

Starbuck 5  Paynesville 3

Despite seeing its five-run lead whittled down by the final inning, Starbuck held off Paynesville for the 5-3 victory.   Paynesville scored three runs in the fifth, but that was it as Starbuck pulled out the victory.

Ryland Martin was the winning pitcher going four and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on one hit and striking out four.  Nathan Bell and Jack Majerus entered the game out of the bullpen and helped close out the game in relief.  Majerus recorded the final out to earn the save.

Starbuck scattered six hits in the game.  Majerus and Dell each collected multiple hits, with Majerus going 3-4 at the plate the lead the offense.