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Pipestone Area’s Riley Bosma delivers to the plate versus Lac qui Parle Valley.
After winning two straight by sweeping the Blue Earth Buccaneers in a Big South Conference twinbill last Tuesday at A’s Field in Pipestone, the Pipestone Area Arrows (6-9) must have been keen regarding the prospect of making it three consecutive home victories – carrying a 3-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning of its non-conference tilt against visiting Lac qui Parle Valley Saturday afternoon.
However, a lapse in concentration with two out in the frame resulted in the visiting Eagles knotting the tally at 3-all and the Arrows’ bid for a third consecutive win called into question.
LQPV had nervous moments of its own in the bottom of the inning and, in eerily similar fashion to the previous half an inning, the offensive side made the most of the opportunity. Freshman outfielder Nohel Vivanco claimed the plate from third base on a passed to give the Arrows a 4-3 victory.
“I saw that it got past him and decided to run,” Vivanco explained. “I took off; we practice it all the time… just knew when it got by him to take off.”
The Eagles took advantage of a slow-to-zero-in Riley Bosma in the early stages of the contest, working the second of two hit batters around the bags to score the opening run in the top of the second. However, the sophomore right-hander settled down extremely well from there in giving up one run on five hits while striking out four and walking just one over six innings on the bump.
“It felt good… tried to go out there and throw strikes – pitch to contact,” Bosma said. “I was a little wild early, but otherwise found the strike zone and let my defense work.
Pipesotne Area’s Connor Holt dashes to third base.
“My slider was my best pitch and my curve has been breaking well. We’ve struggled this season, defensively, but I trust in my defense and the guys played well behind me today. Hopefully, this will give us some confidence moving forward.”
Bosma’s counterpart Ethan Schommer was strong during the early stages of his three-inning tenure, facing just 10 batters and giving up one hit – that coming off the bat of Vivanco. Payton Rademacher relieved Schommer to open the fourth and appeared comfortable in facing three after issuing a leadoff walk to PAS right fielder Trevor Chauslett.
The fifth frame was another story altogether, as a pair of walks issued to Connor Holt and Vivanco, wrapped around a throwing error from behind the plate, loaded the bases for Weston Reinhard with no one out. Reinhard’s ensuing fly to shallow right field against second reliever Dylan Keimig wasn’t deep enough for Holt to make a strong move toward claiming the plate. However, LQPV saw the PAS first baseman stray off the bag enough to double him up at third and give the Eagles hope they could get out of the frame unscathed.
And Keimig’s delivery to Merrick Heidebrink should have been enough, but his replacement at shortstop couldn’t handle Merrick Heidebrink’s hot shot to the left side – giving both Landon Johnson (error) and Vivanco (walk) the plate, and the Arrows a 2-1 lead after five complete innings.
Bosma gave up a leadoff single to open the sixth and a well-caught line drive snared by Reinhard for the third out of the inning served as an appropriate ending to the starter’s tenure.
The Arrows scratched out a third marker in the bottom of the sixth to carry a 3-1 lead into the seventh. Chauslett led off by reaching on a fielding error at shortstop, promptly pilfering second base and moving to third on a passed ball, setting up designated hitter Jackson Melcher with the opportunity to drive him in. Melcher did just that, jumping on a waist-high offering and placing it on the turf in right field.
Kellen Johnson was quick to retire Keimig (k) and coax Dylan Gesier into a 4-3 groundout to open the seventh inning, but a walk issued to TJ Mitchell appeared to unsettle the hosts. Johnson came back to fan Brady Danzeisen only to see the pinch hitter safely scamper to first in beating out the throw made necessary by a dropped third strike. Kaden Mortenson followed with a single through the left side and, combined with a throwing error coming in from the outfield, the Eagles manage to draw even.
Always vexing, benefits of a dropped third strike can completely rattle the defensive team. Such was the case when it was flipflopped half an inning later. After climbing back into the contest as beneficiary of a one such play, the Eagles fell victim to it in the bottom of the seventh. Chauslett’s ability to beat the throw to first base kept the Arrows at the plate, and the ensuing passed ball with Landon Quist at the plate gave Vivanco the green light to break the deadlock.
LQPV 010 000 2 – 3 6 3
PAS 000 0210 1 – 4 2 2
PAS 12, SJ 10
SJ 4, PAS 0
The Arrows finished with a BSC split in making up a suspended game and adding a five-inning game on the back end Monday night in St. James.
Trailing 4-2 in resuming its suspended game from May 5, Pipestone Area joined the ‘hitfest’ in the fifth inning. After giving up six runs in the top of the frame, the Arrows exploded for five and another two in the bottom of the sixth to knot the tilt at 10-all.
Moving into extra innings neither side could scratch out a marker until the top of the ninth when the hosts tallied a run on one hit. Needing an answer, PAS looked to the bottom of its lineup to mount a rally. Landon Johnson coaxed a leadoff walk out of the SJ pitching staff and promptly stole second base. Reinhard made the most of his at-bat, delivering a one-out RBI-double to tie the score at 11-all. SJ opted to intentionally walk Heidebrink to pitch to Chauslett, who grounded out and moved Heidebrink to second. Unfortunately for the Arrows, Reinhard was called out for interference on the play, leaving Heidebrink as the lone baserunner – on second base.
The senior shortstop/pitcher didn’t wait long, as Quist delivered the walk-off single that gave the Arrows their fourth consecutive victory.
The Arrows pitched by committee throughout the makeup with Joe Kor (1 inn., 4ER, 6H, 0K, 0BB), Heidebrink (3 inn., 3ER, 5H, 3K, 0BB), Quist (1.2 inn,. 0H, 1K, 0BB) and Kellen Johnson (2.1 1ER, 1H, 1K, 2BB) all spending time on the bump.
Quist finished 3-for-4 with two RB I and two runs scored. Melcher and Kellen Johnson were 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI apiece. Reinhard was 2-for-4 withtwo doubles and two runs scored, while Heidebrink was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Chauslett was 1-for-3 with three runs scored and a stolen base, and Holt and Bosma had an RBI drive apiece.
“Merrick pitched well in his three innings, and Landon looked amazing in his short time on the mound,” Koopman said. “It was a good all-around team win for us against a really good St. James team that has wins over Luverne, JCC, Redwood and Windom.”
The success PAS had at the plate in resuming the opener fizzled out in the five-frame nightcap, as Coach Koopman noted everyone was ‘swinging for the fences.’
The Arrows had just two hits in the game with Melcher and Reinhard singling.
Kor pitched all four innings, as PAS was the visitor, giving up four earned runs on five hits while fanning five and walking five.
SJ 400 060 001 – 11 12 2
PAS 210 052 002 – 12 14 2
PAS 000 00 – 0 2 0
SJ 110 1X – 4 4 0
R-T-R 3, Lakeview 2 (8 inn.)
R-T-R 14, Ortonville 4
The Knights improved to 13-2 with a Camden Conference victories over the Trojans and Lakers Monday and Thursday nights respectively.
The combined efforts of Hayden Gravley (6 inn., 0ER, 2H, 5K, 1BB) and Elijah Determan (2 inn., 0ER, 1H, 2K, 0BB) kept the Knights in the hunt long enough to win it in the eighth inning Thursday in Cottonwood.
Gravley also served the R-T-R attack well in going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Chase Christianson was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Cody Wichmann had a pair of hits, Isaac Dagel was 1-for-3 with an RBI and Aiden Wichmann, Blake Christianson and Determan also had hits for the Knights.
Gravley had four stolen bases for the game, while Aiden Wichmann had a pair and Determan and Chase Christianson pilfered a base apiece.
The Trojans gave the Knights little trouble, save the second inning, Monday evening in Tyler. Aiden Wichmann gave up four runs in the top of the second inning, but was smooth the rest of the way in picking up the vicvtory – fanning nine and walking one over five frames.
Chase Christianson (double, triple) led the way at the plate, going 3-for-3 with five RBI. Aiden Wichmann was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple and an RBI, and Brayden Appel was 2-for-2.
Blake Christianson was 3-for-4 with four RBI, and Tyler Wichmann also had a hit for the Knights in the lopsided contest.
R-T-R 100 100 01 – 3 10 4
Lakeview 100 000 10 – 2 3 2
Ortonville 040 00 – 4 6 3
R-T-R 430 43 – 14 12 2
