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MILROY — The Russell-Tyler-Ruthton and Yellow Medicine East baseball teams have played two ultra-competitive games this season.
And a Saturday, May 31, Section 3A winner’s bracket game was decided by one run again.
Gage Wilke’s RBI infield single won it for the Sting, scoring Gunnar Fagen. The slim 7-6 conquest over Russell-Tyler-Ruthton sent Sting players onto the Yankee Field grass in delirium.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s Drew Chandler snags a fly ball in right field during a Section 3A winner’s bracket game on Saturday, May 31, at Yankee Field in Milroy. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Meanwhile, RTR (16-7) was relegated to an elimination-bracket game at 5 p.m. Tuesday versus Dawson-Boyd. The Knights have beaten the Blackjacks twice this season, outscoring them 18-5. But, this time, the pressure would be ramped up.
“We made too many errors, mental errors,” RTR head coach Danny Moffitt noted. “They didn’t get a hit off us until the fourth inning, but they had already scored four runs.”
Depending on which scorer you’d believe, the Knights and the Sting combined for anywhere between 7-10 errors.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s Brayden Chandler throws toward home during a fielder’s choice opportunity. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Moffitt was proud of RTR for rallying to take a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
“We kept hitting well,” the coach commented. “We put the ball in play and had 12 hits. We got back into the game, but we couldn’t finish it.”
Moffitt said he would use all the Knights’ pitching arsenal versus Dawson-Boyd: ace Tyler Wichmann, Eli Determan, Brayden Chandler, Gavin Schreurs, Kolby Louwagie and Gabe Elton. Schreurs gives RTR a different look as the group’s lone lefty.
The Knights went ahead in the sixth as Elton singled and Brayden Chandler followed with a nifty bunt single. That moved to Elton to second.
Wichmann flew out to Drew Monson in center field, and both Elton and Chandler scored thanks to shoddy Sting defense. Determan struck out and Drew Chandler grounded out, ending the frame.
RTR had its chance to salt away the game in the seventh. Seth Cowell reached on an error. With one out, Sean Griesse and Schreurs slapped back-to-back singles, however, Cowell was forced out while trying to score as Wilke stepped on home plate. Elton then struck out.
In the bottom of the seventh, Monson singled and Fagen doubled — propelling the Sting’s rally — and YME improved to 13-5.
Chase Christianson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored for RTR. Schreurs was 3-for-4, with a double and three RBI. Griesse also was 3-for-4 as the bottom of the Knights’ lineup did most of the damage offensively.
Chase Christianson scored a run here for Russell-Tyler-Ruthton during a Section 3A Tournament game at Yankee Field in Milroy on Saturday, May 31. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Determan, the Knights’ starting pitcher, lasted 2-1/3 innings before bowing out Tyler Wichmann. Wichmann took the hard-luck loss with the following line: 71 pitches, 4-1/3 innings, 17 batters faced, two earned runs, three hits, four strikeouts, no walks and no hit batters.
Braden Nelson earned the win for YME, pitching the seventh inning after Fagen’s pitch count reached 101 throws. Nelson surrendered two hits, and fanned two Knights’ batters.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s Sean Griesse has his sights on a fly ball during a Section 3A Tournament game on Saturday, May 31, at Yankee Field in Milroy. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Diamond notes
Should RTR defeat Dawson-Boyd (18-3), it would set up a rematch Thursday versus YME at Yankee Field in Milroy. Game time is set for 5 p.m. A second if-needed game would follow at 7 p.m. at the same facility.
Minneota eliminated Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian (13-7), 7-4, on Wednesday, May 28, at Irish Yard. This marked the second straight year the Vikings ousted the Flying Dutchmen in Section 3A.
Cash Decker, Tanner Thomson, Caden Sas and Cameron Fenske scored runs for the Flying Dutchmen. Sas doubled and provided two RBI. Blake Schultz took the loss: 1-2/3 innings, four runs, three earned, on two hits with three walks, one hit batter and one strikeout.
This was the final scholastic game for Trevin Prins, Logan Bleyenberg, Tyson Bleyenberg, Josh Groen, Nathan Hoekman, Decker, Sas, Schultz and Fenske.
Then Minneota eliminated Murray County Central, 9-8, Wednesday while Dawson-Boyd vanquished Lac qui Parle Valley (Thursday, May 29), 4-2, and Minneota (Saturday, May 31), 3-2, in setting up the third encounter with RTR this season.
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s Tyler Wichmann deals toward home during this Section 3A Tournament game on Saturday, May 31. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
INFORMATION
BASEBALL
Section 3A Tournament
Winner’s Bracket Semifinal
Linescore
Saturday, May 31
At Yankee Field, Milroy
At Edgerton
Yellow Medicine East 7,
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 6
RTR 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 — 6 12 4
YME 2 0 3 0 0 0 2 — 7 6 3
WP: Braden Nelson, YME
LP: Tyler Wichmann, RTR
2B: Gavin Schreurs, Tyler Wichmann, Sean Griesse, Drew Chandler, RTR; Gunnar Fagen (2), YME