Ross Haugen bats for the Morris Eagles in this photo taken on July 24. (B.W. photo)Montevideo got the early lead at 3-0 but it was Morris getting the win in the end, 11-3 on Saturday. Morris enjoyed big innings in the fourth and sixth, surging ahead to stay.
The July 30 win gave Morris the #1 seed for the Canvas Division in 9C.
The indications of late have been encouraging. Fans of the Morris town team can be optimistic looking ahead to this weekend.
The Eagles hope to parlay all their recent success into another "W" come Saturday (8/6). The site will be Wheaton. Game-time is 1:30 p.m.
The opponent will be the Rosen Express, the No. 2 seed out of the Teal Division.
"The Eagles are peaking at the right time," spokesman Matthew Carrington proclaims.
Montevideo had a long day (lots of innings) on the 30th, initially playing Appleton before taking on our Eagles. Monte downed Appleton 3-0 to assure themselves a berth in Regions.
Monte rallied quickly vs. Morris to take that 3-0 lead. But the Eagles owned the rest of this game, excelling under the relentless July sun. (Did we really get tired of winter?)
Morris got on the scoreboard with one run in the third, on a Ross Haugen RBI single.
Momentum picked up in the fourth. Dusty Sauter drove in a run with a single. Craig Knochenmus worked the pitcher for a walk with the bases full.
Ryan Beyer hit a grounder that drove a run in. Montevideo committed an error that spelled another Morris run.
The Eagles led 5-3 at the end of four innings.
If there was any doubt as to this game's outcome, it was erased in the sixth. Doubles resounded off the bats of Sauter, Chris Boettcher and Ross Haugen.
Carrington described these doubles as "booming." Two runs came in in the process.
A walk and a hit-by-pitch set the table nicely for Carrington himself when he came up to bat. Carrington tore into a Monte delivery to produce the rally's fourth double. It got two more runs in.
We all need to root for veterans like Carrington these days, because we want to see the Minnesota Vikings succeed this fall with (fossil) Donovan McNabb.
The success kept flowing as Eric Riley lofted a sacrifice fly and Sauter was hit by pitch with the bases loaded.
In all, six runs scored for Morris in the sixth and the game could for all practical purposes be tucked in the "win" column.
Eric Riley, an up-and-comer at the town team level, was handed the ball for his second start on the mound. He did give up those three Monte runs in the first but he put up zeroes after that.
He gave up only four hits while working six innings. He fanned five batters and walked three.
The greenhorn gave way to the veteran in the seventh and it was Carrington pitching the last three innings to get the save. Carrington allowed just one baserunner and even this minor blemish was negated thanks to a double play in the ninth.
Carrington fanned one batter, walked none and gave up one hit.
The Eagles will visit the home of the world's largest mallard (Wheaton) this weekend owner of a 12-8 record. Remember, the Eagles were a mere 3-7 at one time.
Here are the teams that are "in" for the 9C affair: Chokio (those Coyotes), Dumont, Rosen, Canby, Ada, Bemidji, Montevideo and our Eagles.
Which two teams will advance to state? It will be exciting to watch. There's a double-elimination path along the way.
Carrington predicted "the Eagles will have to stay hot."
Morris put up a line score Saturday of eleven runs, 12 hits and three errors. Monte's numbers were 3-5-2.
It was "another day at the office" for Dusty Sauter offensively, as this Eagle produced up to his standards from the leadoff spot: two-for-four, three runs, two RBIs.
Other Eagles with multiple hits were Ross Haugen, Eric Riley and Tony Schultz.
Sauter, Haugen and Riley had stolen bases. Eagles with two RBIs were Sauter, Haugen and Carrington.
Morris Eagles baseball is plunging into August with a firm focus!
- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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