May 17 at Morris

Morris 6 Minnewaska 5

The Minnewaska baseball team was in Morris on Tuesday night for a big West Central Conference match up. The Lakers trailed the Tigers by one game in the WCC race as the season nears it’s end.

Unfortunately, a steady, light rain began just before game time and continued on for most of the contest. It affected both teams and made everything more difficult. 

Minnewaska struck first, scoring in their first at bat when Jacob Blair singled to lead off the game, stole second, then scored on a single by Torii Johnson.

Jacob Blair was on the mound for the Lakers and held the Tigers scoreless through the first three innings. Pitching was a chore for both pitchers as they tried to keep their cleats clean and throw a ball that was slicker than usual. 

Morris got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring twice with the help of two Minnewaska errors and a hit batter.

The Lakers retook the lead in their next at bat, racking up three runs. PJ Johnson, Hunter Johnson and Jacob Blair each singled to load the bases. With one out Torii Johnson squared to bunt and perfectly slapped the ball past the charging infielders, scoring courtesy runner Blake Andreas  with the tying run. Dylan Alexander singled to score Hunter and Blair to put the Lakers up, 4-2. 

The Tigers averted a disastrous inning when their right fielder made a diving catch of Noah Jensen’s bases loaded line-drive, ending the top of the fifth with three runs scored, keeping Morris within striking distance.

Another rough inning for the Minnewaska defense resulted in four runs for Morris. A walk, four singles and a double, along with some throwing miscues led to four runs for the home team. 

With the Tigers up, 6-4, the Lakers faced a new pitcher in the top of the sixth. The hard throwing righty struck out three Lakers while allowing a single to Nathan Dell.

To his credit, Jacob Blair kept pitching under tough circumstances and shut out the Tigers in the bottom of the sixth.

Needing two runs to keep the game going, the Lakers got a lead off walk to Torii Johnson and a single by Dylan Alexander. A fielder’s choice and  a Morris error led to Torii crossing the plate, pulling the Lakers to within a run. 

With a runner on third base and one out, Jack Majerus dumped a short fly into shallow left field. The Morris shortstop made a running, diving catch that was made possible by his long arms and legs. The catch kept the Tigers in the lead. The third out was made on a strikeout and Morris had a win that would give them the conference title.

In the end the Lakers made a couple too many errors and the Tigers flashed some leather at the right times.      

Lakers 100 030 1 – 5 9 3

Morris  000 240 x – 6 7 1

HITTING – Minnewaska:

Jacob Blair 2-4 r-2, Torii Johnson 1-3 r rbi-2, Dylan Alexander 2-4 rbi-2, Jack Larson 1-4, PJ Johnson 1-3 r, Nathan Dell 1-3  

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)

Jacob Blair (L) 6-7-6-4-2-3

May 19 at Montevideo

Minnewaska 9 Montevideo 3 Game 1 

The baseball team was in Montevideo on Thursday afternoon for a doubleheader with the Thunder Hawks for the final WCC games of the season.

The home team broke out on top, 2-0, in the first inning. But the Lakers squared things in the top of the third when Jacob Blair and Torii Hunter reached base with two outs, then scored on a double by Dylan Alexander. 

Monte regained the lead with a single run in the bottom of the frame and would hold that lead heading into the fifth inning.

Minnewaska struck for five runs in the top of the fifth on four singles, a walk and an error, taking a 7-3 lead.

The Lakers added two more runs in the top of the sixth on their way to a 9-3 win.

Jacob Blair, Dylan Alexander and Jack Majerus each had two hits, half of the Lakers’ 12-hit effort.

Torii Johnson went five innings to get the win, with Alex Panitzke providing two innings of hitless relief.

Lakers 002 052 0 – 9 12 1

Monte  201 000 0 – 3  7 2

HITTING – Minnewaska:

Jacob Blair 2-5 r-2, Torii Johnson 0-2 r-3 rbi, Dylan Alexander 2-3 2b-2 rbi-2, Jack Larson 1-4 r rbi-2, Jack Majerus 2-4 r rbi, Noah Jensen 1-3 r, Logan Rood 1-1, Nathan Dell 1-3 r

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)

Torii Johnson (W)  5-7-3-2-0-0

Alex Panitzke         2-0-0-0-1-2

May 19 at Montevideo

Montevideo 11 Minnewaska 9  Game 2 

Game two of the doubleheader had the Thunder Hawks batting first. 

Monte exploded for four runs on five hits in the top of the second, but in the bottom of the inning Minnewaska responded with seven runs of their own. Four hits by the Lakers combined with four miscues by the Thunder Hawks made the score 7-4 after two innings of play.

Montevideo came right back, putting up a seven-spot of their own to regain the lead for good. 

A two-out, two-run single by PJ Johnson was the last gasp for the Lakers in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough and the Thunder Hawks took game two 11-9.  

Monte  047 000 0 – 11 11 4

Lakers 070 000 2 –  9 10 5

HITTING – Minnewaska:

Jacob Blair 0-4 r, Torii Johnson 1-3 2b r-2 rbi-2, Dylan Alexander 2-3 r-2 rbi, Jack Larson 3-4 r, Jack Majerus 1-4, PJ Johnson 2-4 r-2, Austin Ballhagen 0-0 r, Hunter Johnson 1-4 r, Ryland Martin 0-1 r,   

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)

Alex Panitzke       1.1-4-4-4-0-2

Ryland Martin (L) 1-4-5-1-2-0

PJ Johnson           4.2-3-2-0-0-5

May 20 at Marthaler Field 

Paynesville 14

Minnewaska 1

Another busy week of baseball came to an end on Friday when the Lakers hosted the undefeated Bulldogs of Paynesville. 

It was a rough way to end the week as the Bulldogs scored in every inning on their way to a 14-1 blowout win.

Minnewaska has one regular season game remaining, a Monday afternoon matchup at Redwood Valley.

The Section 3AA playoffs begin on Saturday with seeding to be determined on Wednesday. 

Paynesville 314 24 – 14 12 3

Lakers        001 00 –  1  3  2

HITTING – Minnewaska:

Jacob Blair 1-3 r, Torii Johnson 1-3 2b rbi, PJ Johnson 1-2 

PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)

Hunter Johnson (L) 1-4-3-3-1-1

Nathan Dell             4-8-11-6-5-1