The Minnewaska Area baseball team picked up right where it left off last spring.  The Lakers, who went 15-5 overall last year while earning co-share of the WCC title, swept a doubleheader at BOLD, Thursday, scoring 20 runs on the way to the 6-1, 14-4 sweep, and then edged Osakis in a non-conference game, Saturday, 7-5.

The Lakers, coached by Joe Alexander, return most of the lineup from last year’s team including All-Conference players Noah Jensen, Dylan Alexander, Austin Ballhagen, Jack Majerus and Alex Panitzke (honorable mention).

The Lakers were set to play a doubleheader at Morris Area-CA, Tuesday (tomorrow) before playing Fergus Falls in a non-conference game, Friday, at Gustavus Adolphus College.

Montevideo and Minnewaska Area both went 13-1 during league action last year, while Morris Area-CA and Melrose Area tied for third with 8-6 records, Sauk Centre was 7-7, BOLD was 5-9 and West Central Area and Benson were tied for seventh with 1-13 records.

•  Members of the 13-player 2024 Minnewaska Area baseball varsity roster are seniors Dylan Alexander, Jack Majerus, Alex Panitzke, Nathan Dell, Austin Ballhagen, Ryland Martin, Thomas Poegel and Austin Weber; juniors Noah Jensen, Levi Johnson, Connor Frey and Caden Larson; and sophomore Connor Erickson.

Named to the JV team are junior Evan Friese; sophomores Riley Dell, Marc Gruber, Luke Danielson, Ethan Jacobs, Oliver Vanderhagen, AJ Svec, Tate Anderson, Braylen Scharmer, Tyson Metz, Jackson Marquardt and Oliver Rieland; and ninth-grader Miles Wildman.

Waska 6-14, BOLD 1-4

The Lakers opened up the season with a 6-1, 14-4 doubleheader sweep at BOLD, Thursday.

Alex Panitzke earned the pitching victory in the first game, with help from Austin Weber, while Nathan Dell pitched a complete game to earn the win in the nightcap.

Offensively, Dylan Alexander went 3-for-4 in both games with two runs scored to lead the offense.

Jack Majerus opened up the season by reaching on an error, stole second base and came home on an error for the Lakers’ first run this season.

Minnewaska Area added four runs in the third and another in the sixth to win the opener, 6-1.  Panitzke pitched the first five innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out eight.

Alexander went 3-for-4 with a run and stolen base in the first game, while Majerus, Panitzke, Noah Jensen, Connor Erickson, Weber and Levi Johnson had one hit each.

•  In the second game, the Lakers fell behind 4-0 after 1 1/2 innings before scoring six runs in the bottom-half of the second to take the lead for good.  Minnewaska scored at least one run in each inning the rest of the way, ending the game with two outs in the fifth due to the 10-run rule.

Nathan Dell pitched a complete game to earn the win, giving up three hits, four runs (only one earned) and one walk with six strikeouts in five innings of work.

Alexander had another 3-for-4 game with a double and run scored, while Majerus, Jensen and Johnson also had hits for the Lakers.

The Lakers got their six-run second inning rally underway with a strikeout of all things.  Weber struck out, but the ball was dropped and he reached first base.  The next four Minnewaska Area batters walked to score two runs and a double by Majerus plated three more.

Waska 7, Osakis 5

The Lakers took an early 5-0 lead and then, after Osakis tied it up with four runs in the third and another in the fourth, Minnewaska Area scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to raise its early-season record to 3-0.

Dylan Alexander had another multiple-hit game, Jack Majerus hit a solo homer and Ryland Martin and Connor Erickson combined for the pitching victory.

Alexander went 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI to lead the Lakers, while Majerus was 1-for-3 with two runs, a hit-by-pitch and solo homer in the sixth inning.

Adding one hit each were Noah Jensen, Austin Weber, Nathan Dell and Austin Ballhagen.

Martin started on the mound, but left after four innings with the teams tied at 5-5.  Erickson came in to pitch the final three innings to earn the victory, giving up just two walks and striking out four.

Minnewaska 6, at BOLD 1

Waska (1-0) 1 0 4 0 0 1 0 — 6 9 1

BOLD 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 3 2

HITTING:  WASKA-Dylan Alexander 3-for-4, 1 run, sb; Jack Majerus 1-for-5, 2 runs, 2 sb; Alex Panitzke 1-for-3, 1 run, RBI, bb; Noah Jensen 1-for-4, 1 run; Connor Erickson 1-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI; Austin Weber 1-for-3, bb, sb; Levi Johnson 1-for-4, 2 RBI, sb; Thomas Poegel bb, sb; Ryland Martin hbp; Austin Ballhagen bb . . . BOLD-three players with one hit each

PITCHING:  (ip-h-r-er-bb-so):  WASKA-Alex Panitzke (W, 1-0)  5-1-0-0-2-8; Austin Weber 2-2-1-1-1-2 . . . BOLD-Waltom (L)  5-6-5-4-2-4; Malvin 2-3-1-1-2-4

Waska 14, at BOLD 4

BOLD 3 1 0 0 0 — 4 3 4

Waska (2-0) 0 6 1 4 3 — 14 6 3

HITTING:  WASKA-Dylan Alexander 3-for-4, double, 1 run; Jack Majerus 1-for-3, 1 run, 3 RBI, bb, double, sb; Noah Jensen 1-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double; Levi Johnson 1-for-2, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 2 bb, sb; Austin Weber 0-for-1, 3 runs, 3 bb, sb; Nathan Dell 0-for-1, 2 runs, 2 bb, hbp; Ryland Martin 0-for-1, 1 run, RBI, 2 bb; Connor Erickson 0-for-1, 1 run, 2 RBI, bb; Austin Ballhagen RBI, bb . . . BOLD-three players with one hit each

PITCHING:  (ip-h-r-er-bb-so):  WASKA-Nathan Dell (W, 1-0)  5-3-4-1-1-6 . . . BOLD-Osterfield (L)  1-1-5-5-4-1; Malvin 1-1-1-0-1-1; Sheehan 2-1-5-2-4-2; Flann 2/3-2-3-3-4-1

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Waska 7, at Osakis 5

Waska (3-0) 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 — 7 7 3

Osakis 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 — 5 6 1

HITTING:  WASKA-Dylan Alexander 2-for-4, 1 run, 3 RBI; Jack Majerus 1-for-3, 2 runs, RBI, HR, hbp; Noah Jensen 1-for-4, RBI; Austin Weber 1-for-2, 2 bb; Nathan Dell 1-for-4, 1 run, double; Austin Ballhagen 1-for-4, RBI; Alex Panitzke 0-for-2, 1 run, 2 bb; Levi Johnson 0-for-2, 2 runs, 2 hbp  . . . OSAKIS-Mages 1-for-3, 1 run, HR, 3 RBI

PITCHING:  (ip-h-r-er-bb-so):  WASKA-Ryland Martin 4-6-5-5-2-4; Connor Erickson (W, 1-0) 3-0-0-0-2-4 . . . OSAKIS-Klimelk 3-5-5-5-3-3; Mages 4-2-2-1-2-1