Ryan Beyer earned the "ironman" nickname with his work behind the plate in the Eagles' games on August 11-12. Wow! The town team played 41 innings total, getting past a 14-inning marathon along the way, and Beyer was the reliable backstop all the way.
Beyer and his Eagle mates won 9-8 in the 14-inning affair vs. Madison, thus they captured the #1 seed for 9C. They now have a bye through the first round in state class 'C' competition.
Next for them: an 11:30 a.m. contest this Saturday, Aug. 25, at St. Cloud's Faber Field.
After eight years away, the Eagles are in the prestigious showcase of state. It's a 48-team single-elimination affair - a new format adopted for 2012. Anticipation is high.
Hopefully Ryan Beyer has his muscles and joints all rested up for the new challenges. A young man like him ought to be pretty resilient.
The 9-8 win marked the dramatic end of the Eagles' weekend play. Click on the permalink below to read about the Eagles' 9-7 win over Clinton (on 8/11) and 7-2 win over Madison in Sunday's early game. This link is to my companion website, "Morris of Course." Thanks for reading. - B.W.
Morris 9, Madison 8
The Eagles got outhit 19-12 by the Madison Mallards but topped the final score. Each team committed two errors.
Nate Gades was getting his arm tested on this day. He got the save in the team's first game on the day. Then he was handed the ball for starting duties in the second. He looked vulnerable at the outset as he allowed the Mallards to strike for two runs in the first inning.
Tanner Picht drove in a run for Morris with a single in the bottom of the first.
Madison scored its third run in the third, after which Morris answered promptly with a Matthew Carrington RBI single.
Gades bore down to hold the Mallards scoreless in the fourth through sixth innings. Meanwhile the Eagles were able to mount a rally in the fourth good for four runs. Picht drove in two runs with a single. Carrington hit a soaring fly ball that was nearly caught but fell in for a two-run double.
Madison fought back to record three runs in the seventh with Gades no longer on the hill. It was Nate Haseman getting roughed up. He only lasted a third of an inning.
The seventh inning ended with the score knotted up at six-all. Now it was Kirby Marquart with the task of holding down the fort with his pitching arm. Little did he know he'd end up pitching something close to a complete game. He pitched seven and a third innings total, striking out eight batters and allowing eight hits and two runs (earned).
Marquart might have felt game's end was near when Eric Asche socked a two-run single to center in the eighth. Marquart went back out to the hill in the ninth and nearly closed the door on Madison. He was one out away at one point. But - ouch! - he allowed a bloop single with runners at second and third. So the score is tied up at eight-all. Matters wouldn't be resolved for a while.
Both teams had their chances. Asche came to bat in an RBI opportunity, made solid contact but had his drive caught by the second baseman who started a double play.
The air of drama was climactic in the 14th. Beyer continued working steadily as the catcher. The top half saw Madison load the bases with two singles and a hit batsman. There's just one out. Beyer alertly fielded a ball that had caromed off a teammate. He dove toward the plate and was able to tag the would-be run scorer. It was a close play but the umpire signaled "out!"
Jacob Torgerson was now called on to pitch. Marquart was assigned first base. Eagles fans breathed a sigh of relief with a ground ball hit to short, ending the threat. It's getting late - after 11 p.m.
The first two Eagle batters in the 14th drew bases on balls. Madison got two outs but the threat grew with Beyer walking. Eric Asche came up to bat and was patient. The exhausted Madison pitching wasn't able to cut it anymore. Asche drew a walk to force in the game-winning run!
The boxscore shows Asche with just two at-bats but he was much busier than this number suggests. He walked five times and got hit by pitch. He got on base seven times in his eight total plate appearances.
Jacob Torgerson earned the pitching win, having faced a mere one batter. Marquart deserves pitching kudos. Gades employed his pitching arm for six innings after having not pitched since July 21.
It's surprising that in such a long game, no Eagles had more than two hits. Those with two were Beyer, Picht, Carrington and Jamie Van Kempen.
Asche, Picht and Carrington each had three RBIs. Carrington will be playing in his sixth state tournament in his career of 23 years. (I covered him playing high school baseball.)
Just three Eagles are holdovers from the last Eagles state-qualifying team which was in 2004. This seasoned trio: Carrington, Marquart and Van Kempen.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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