Legion boys defeat Clinton twice, advance

Morris 6, Clinton 2
Morris got a quick rematch with Clinton as the District 7-II NW playoffs got going Thursday. The rematch ended up quite similar to the previous game, as Morris won 6-2 to advance. The score in the previous game, which is summarized further down in this post, was 5-3.
Morris Legion baseball pounded out ten hits in the Thursday success while Clinton was anemic in the hitting department (two hits, thanks in large part to Tyler Hansen's pitching).
Playoff action is continuing for the Post #29 boys this current weekend.
Morris shot out to a 6-1 lead Thursday, buoyed by a big five-run second. Hansen gave the first big push in that rally with a single that drove in two runs. Travis Rinkenberger came through with an RBI single.
Other ingredients in that decisive burst were an Ethan Bruer run-scoring double and Ryan Beyer's sacrifice fly.
Hansen's pitching arm was good for the full seven innings. He set down five batters on strikes and walked three. One of the two runs he allowed was unearned, and he gave up just two hits.
The losing pitcher was Jesse Weick (four innings of work), and Anthony Satran also pitched for Clinton (two innings).
The Morris line score showed six runs on ten hits and just one error, while Clinton posted 2-2-2 numbers.
Clinton scored one run each in the first and sixth innings.
Alex Erickson contributed to the offensive mix for Morris with two-for-four numbers including a double. Hansen also went two-for-four with two runs scored and a pair of ribbies.
Dustin Sauter socked a double as did Ryan Beyer, and Beyer drove in two runs.
The following Post #29 batters all went one-for-three: Brady Valnes, Cole Riley, Travis Rinkenberger and Ethan Bruer. Rinkenberger drove in a run. Bruer's hit was a double and he drove in a run.
Morris Legion baseball is squaring off against Wheaton at 11 a.m. today (Saturday) at home. Wheaton advanced by beating Madison 9-2 Thursday at Wheaton. Saturday started off as an ideal summer day but some ominous clouds loomed overhead as of about 12:30 a.m.

Morris 5, Clinton 3
Tyler Hansen excelled with his bat and patching arm, supplying key ingredients in Post #29's 5-3 win over Clinton Monday on the road. The Morris Legion baseball team maintained its perfect record in District 7 play, upping its mark to 9-0. It was the 12th win overall for the surging squad.
Hansen's hitting eye was focused as he connected for three hits. He was also handed the ball for starting pitching duties and excelled in this department too. He may not have been the pitcher of record - that honor was carved out by Travis Rinkenberger - but he set down four Clinton batters on strikes and allowed zero hits.
Hansen did struggle some with control, issuing four walks, but Clinton failed to push any runs across against him. He pitched three innings before yielding to successor Rinkenberger who got the "W" next to his name in the boxscore.
Rinkenberger pitched three innings too and was roughed up a little as he allowed five hits and two runs (both earned) while walking two and fanning two.
The "S" in the pitching summary of the boxscore ended up going next to Nate Gades' name. "S" is of course "save," and Gades pitched one inning to pick up that stat. He allowed one run, walked none and struck out two.
The losing pitcher was Tanner Taffe who pitched the distance for host Clinton.
The curtain opened for the Morris scoring with Dustin Sauter, always with a reliable stick, doubling in the first frame. Post #29 scored one run each in the first through third innings while holding Clinton scoreless over that span. Eric Riley pushed in the third inning run with a single. The other two Morris runs came home in the fifth.
Clinton scored one run each in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.
Morris played a clean brand of ball in the field with just one error, but Clinton had no errors. Clinton's problem was that their pitching allowed eleven Morris hits. Clinton's hit total was eight.
Hansen had a memorable day at bat with three-for-four numbers including a double. Dustin Sauter also had a double and posted two-for-four stats with an RBI. Ryan Beyer crossed home plate twice and finished at two-for-four. Eric Riley sported two-for-four numbers also and he drove in a run.
Nate Gades socked a double. Cole Riley picked up two ribbies as part of going one-for-three.
For Clinton, Justin Seifert stood out at two-for-four.
In other Monday Legion action, Glenwood sneaked past Benson 11-9 and Litchfield downed BOLD 7-3.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com