Minneota 16, A/E 14

ADRIAN — The Minneota Vikings staved off a late rally from the Adrian-Ellsworth baseball team on Friday night to pick up a 16-14 victory.

Minneota trailed 4-0 heading into the fourth inning. The tenor of the game changed whenRyan Meagher was hit by a pitch, Eli Gruenes singled and Carson Javers hit an RBI double to put the Vikings on the board.

After a ground out put one away, Kyson Arndt, Destin Fier and Kellen Bradley hit consecutive RBI singles to make the score 5-4 in favor of the Vikings.

Adrian-Ellsworth scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but Carson Javers hit a three-run home run with Meagher and Gruenes on base to bring Minneota’s lead up to 8-5 heading into the sixth.

Minneota threw five pitchers in the game. Adam Dalager got the start, giving up two earned runs on one hit and three walks over 2 1/3 innings. He also struck out eight batters.

In relief, Kellen Bradley tossed another 2 2/3 frames, allowing four earned runs on one hit and eight walks, while Kaden Christensen allowed three earned runs without getting an out before being pulled.

Ian Myhre gave up another five earned runs on four hits over 1 1/3 frames while Larson got the final two outs, striking out a pair of batters while allowing one hit.

In the top of the sixth, Brody Larson walked before scoring on a Gruenes double.

Javers drove in Gruenes with a single to prompt an Adrian-Ellsworth pitching change, but the Vikings kept coming. Dalager singled before scoring on an Arndt single, and Fier and Kellen Bradley hit consecutive RBI singles to bring Minneota’s lead up to 13-5.

Parker Bradley walked to load up the bases, and a two-run single from Larson and an RBI single from Meagher brought Minneota’s lead up to 16-5.

Yet, the Dragons still managed to give Minneota a good scare despite an 11-run cushion heading into the bottom of the sixth. They scored five sixth-inning runs and continued to attack in the seventh while trailing by five.

Minneota retired the inning’s first batter, but each of Adrian-Ellsworth’s next seven batters successfully reached base, resulting in four earned runs. Yet, Larson locked in and struck out consecutive batters to end the game.

Minneota improves to 1-0 on the season and will take on Canby at K.P. Kompelien Field in Minneota on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

MCC 11, Pipestone 1 (6 inn.)

SLAYTON — A big day at the plate allowed the Murray County Central baseball team to end its season-opener against Pipestone Area early on Friday. The Rebels scored a total of seven runs over the course of the fifth and sixth innings to claim an 11-1 mercy-rule win after the sixth.

Krew Schneider and Cayden Veldhuisen led the team with two doubles and a single each while Dylan Kluis and Carson Lewis each contributed another pair of hits.

Gabe Tentinger started the Rebels’ late-game rally with a three-run home run in the fifth to make the score 7-1. The momentum carried into the sixth, where a Schneider double and walks to Dugan Kluis and Lewis loaded the bases with no outs. 

The first run scored on a wild pitch and, after Tentinger was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, Veldhuisen singled into right field to make the score 9-1. Drew Wajer then reached on an error to drive in one run and a Teague Meyer RBI single ended the game via mercy rule with no outs in the inning.

Meyer also earned the win on the mound, allowing one run on three hits over three innings of relief. He struck out four batters while walking one.

Dugan Kluis pitched two shutout innings to start the game, striking out five batters while allowing a single and a walk. The two baserunners he allowed came consecutively to start the second inning but he struck out the side from there.

Pipestone’s lone run of the game came in the top of the fifth when they were trailing 4-0. 

Schneider hit an RBI double in the first inning to give MCC the game’s first run. Gavin Gillette also reached on an error to drive in Veldhuisen in the second and Schneider followed up with another RBi single to make the score 3-0.

Veldhuisen pitched the game’s final inning for MCC, striking out one batter and walking another.

Dylan Kluis drove in Meyer with a single in the bottom of the fourth to extend MCC’s lead to four runs.

Now 1-0 on the season, MCC will next host Adrian-Ellsworth on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

RRC/WWG 8, RCW 2

LAMBERTON — Hudsen Jenniges racked up five total bases as a hitter and earned the win on the mound as the starting pitcher to lead the Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove baseball team to an 8-2 win over Renville County West on Friday night.

In his start on the mound, Jenniges allowed two earned runs on three hits and a walk over five innings. He also struck out eight of the 20 batters he faced. As a hitter, he contributed a triple, two singles and two RBIs. 

The game was tied at 2-2 through three innings when RRC/WWG surged ahead in the bottom of the fourth. Jordan Therkilsen was hit by a pitch before scoring the go-ahead run on a Carter Therkilsen double into right field. 

With two outs, Austin Imker earned a walk after fouling off a pair of pitches and Carter Therkilsen scored on a wild pitch. Jake Erickson then reached base on an error and Jackson Jenniges reached base on another error to drive in Imker and Erickson for a 6-2 RRC/WWG edge.

Abe Stavnes pitched two scoreless innings of relief to close out the game for the Falcons, allowing one hit and a pair of walks.

The Falcons further padded their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Carter Therkilsen led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second and scored on Jenniges’ triple. Imker then drove in Jenniges on a ground out. 

RCW scored the game’s first run on a passed ball in the first inning but RRC/WWG answered with a Jenniges RBI single to drive in Jordan Therkilsen in the bottom of the frame. RCW regained the lead in the top of the third, courtesy of a triple and a ground out. Yet, Jake Erickson doubled in Jenniges in the bottom of the inning to keep things tied at 2-2. 

RRC/WWG (1-0) will host Russell-Tyler-Ruthton for its next game in Lamberton on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

Windom 5, TMB 4

WINDOM — The Tracy-Milroy-Balaton baseball team fell just shy of a win in its season-opener against Windom on Friday, falling 5-4 due to a four-run fourth inning by the Eagles.

TMB led 2-1 heading into the fourth inning when consecutive errors put two runners on for Windom. The Eagles then had two of their next three batters reach base, courtesy of a fielder’s choice, a walk, and a dropped third strike before a sacrifice fly and a single capped off the four-run inning.TMB made a valiant seventh-inning comeback effort. Aiden Sanow walked to start the inning, Griffin Zick singled and Noah Knakmuhs was hyt by a pitch to load up the bases. A Trevor Smith single drove in two runs with one out and put the tying run on third, but a pop out to the catcher and a strikeout ended the game.

Jackson Jayce scored a run for Windom in the first inning, but TMB surged ahead in the third. Sanow got on base courtesy of a dropped third strike and, after Griffin Zick walked, Noah Knakmuhs reached first on a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners. Smith kept the rally going with an RBI single and Connor Lanoue reached on an error to make it a 2-1 lead for the Panthers.

Connor Lanoue pitched the game’s first three innings, allowing one earned and two unearned runs on two hits with three strikeouts. In relief, Smith allowed two unearned runs on one hit over four innings.

TMB falls to 0-1 with the loss and will look to bounce back when it hosts Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.