Saturday of Memorial Day weekend can be a sleepy time, as people
usher in the summer months, but it was most demanding and successful for
MACA baseball.
The Tigers played two games. They were primed for success. The setting was the Section 3AA-North playoffs.
The quarter-final phase saw hurler Jacob Torgerson doing the job
nicely in a 4-1 win over Redwood Valley. Jake set down six Redwood
batters on strikes while walking just one. He allowed four hits and the
one Redwood run which was unearned.
That lone Redwood run came in the first inning. The Tigers put up
two runs in that frame. The orange and black went on to add one run each
in the third and fifth innings.
The MACA line score was four runs, nine hits and four errors.
Redwood Valley played errorless ball but they were deficient in other
categories. Helping the Tigers overcome those four errors was Tyler
Henrichs who was a power merchant. Tyler got maximum mileage out of his
two at-bats, socking a home run and double. He drove in two runs and
scored two.
Tanner Picht looked comfortable at the plate as this Tiger went
two-for-three including a double, plus he drove in a run and scored one.
Mac Beyer doubled as part of his nifty two-for-three showing.
Chandler Erickson went one-for-four with a run scored. Bryce
Jergenson and Logan Manska each went one-for-three. None of the Redwood
players had multiple hits.
On to the semis! Now, the Tigers are taking the field against an
athletic program that is often a nemesis for them. You can probably
guess: the Wildcats of New London-Spicer. The Wildcats were hardly a
nemesis on this day. The 'Cats were tamed indeed in a 10-1 Tiger
victory.
Mac Beyer pitched the whole way, setting down eight Wildcat batters
on strikes. Mac overcame five walks and five hits, allowing just one
Wildcat to cross home plate. How about parlaying this success into
sports like football and basketball, where NL-Spicer is often a
formidable obstacle?
The Tigers had a line score of ten runs, 12 hits and one error. The Wildcats hurt themselves with four errors.
Not only was Beyer effective pitching, he wielded quite a stick
too. He came at the 'Cats with three hits in as many at-bats. He scored
two runs and drove in one.
Jacob Torgerson was a force at the plate with two hits in three
at-bats including a double, plus he drove in a run and scored two.
Lincoln Berget added a three-for-four line to the mix. Tyler Henrichs
doubled and drove in two runs.
Bryce Jergenson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Tanner Picht and Chandler Erickson both went one-for-four.
The Tigers asserted themselves immediately in this game, scoring
five runs in the first inning. They went on to score one in the third
and four in the sixth.
Softball: a win and a loss
The Tigers shone vs. Worthington and stumbled against Pipestone as
the time came to confront teams from southern Minnesota. The Tigers
often square off vs. these southern teams around Memorial Day weekend
when the post-season moves forward in earnest.
We'll start by reviewing the Worthington game which certainly seems
more palatable. Pitcher Mackenzie Van Batavia pitched a shutout! The
MACA ace was in command, setting down nine Worthington batters on
strikes. She walked no one and allowed four hits. Sarah Ebbers took the
loss.
Van Batavia got the offensive support she needed in the third
inning: three runs. Abby Daly highlighted that rally with a two-run
single. The other three MACA runs came home in the seventh.
Chelsey Ehleringer had a two-for-four boxscore line. Becca Holland
finished two-for-three. Brooke Johnson had an RBI as part of going
one-for-three. Abby Olson was nailing the ball as she went
three-for-four with three RBIs.
Nicole Strobel went two-for-three and Abby Daly one-for-three.
The 11-1 loss to Pipestone naturally had far fewer highlights. Only
two Tigers hit safely against Pipestone's Tasia Woelber. Sadie Fischer
went one-for-one and Abby Daly one-for-two. Pipestone's Paige Petersen
connected for a home run.
Mackenzie Van Batavia was the losing pitcher. A telling stat was the Tigers' five errors.
The lone MACA run came home in the first inning when Fischer hit an RBI double.
The Tigers entered their 3AA contest vs. Fairmont with a 13-8 record.
We're almost into June. Before long we'll be thinking fall sports! But first let's enjoy lots of Legion and VFW baseball.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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