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Landon Johnson claims second base Tuesday in Windom. K. Kyle
Looking to push its record to 4-2 on the season Tuesday night at Island Park in Windom, the Pipestone Area baseball team shot itself in the foot several times – resulting in a deceptively lopsided 11-4 loss to the hosting Eagles.
Seven of the Eagles’ 11 markers were earned on the night, leaving senior starter Merrick Heidebrink (6.2 inn., 7ER, 8H, 5K, 3W) scratching his head throughout the Big South Conference tilt.
“It was that blow-up inning, that second inning where we had nobody in (runs), two outs, we throw one away, and they score six runs after that,” Pipestone Area skipper Ryan Koopman said. “Merrick pitched well again. I believe he’s thrown well enough in all three games he’s pitched this season to win; we just can give them five and six outs an inning – especially against team like Windom. You give them an extra out and they’re going to make you pay.”
While the Eagles’ first run was earned, as Josh Garrison coaxed a one-out walk out of Heidebrink before stealing second base, advancing to third on a wild pitch and claiming the plate on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the first inning, an errant throw by third baseman Landon Quist allowed the hosts to break the game open with an unearned marker that extended the frame. Quist, who had reinjured his ankle rounding first base on his first-inning base hit to left field, just didn’t have the zip he needed on his lengthy throw across the diamond. Adam Perrizo capitalized on the subsequent walk of Garrison, back-to-back hits by Drew Rothenberger (two-run double) and Henry Erickson (RBI single) and the plunkings of Brady Espenson and starting pitcher Chayton Struck, with a two-run single to left field – lifting the Eagles to a 7-1 lead after two complete innings.
Heidebrink simply had little luck and little back-up throughout his tenure. After watching his backstop, Landon Johnson, lead off the top of the second with a walk, work his way around the bags via a pair of steals, and claim the plate on the errant throw to third, the PAS hurler was hopeful. He notched the first of his five strikeouts to open the bottom of the inning, and 4-6 putout at second base put the senior in prime position to get the Arrows back to the plate with the score knotted (1-1).
Trevor Chaulsett singles Tuesday night in Windom. K. Kyle
Not only did the Arrows fail to get out of the frame unscathed, but their approach at the plate thereafter didn’t aid their comeback bid in the least.
“We have guys swinging for the fences with the wind blowing in; when you swing like that, the first thing to go is your head,” explained Koopman. “Especially with two strikes, I tell them, ‘Keep your feet calm, your head calm and have fast hands; your hands are the only thing that should be moving fast.’ We have guys taking daddy hacks on the biggest field we play on, with the wind blowing in, and that’s not going to serve them well. We hit the ball well yesterday (in Worthington), but we were rather uncharacteristic tonight – trying to score six runs with one swing. We have to put a quarter in the merry-go-round and chip away. We can’t try to get it all back at once.”
However, despite their swinging woes, the Arrows cut into a seven-run deficit (one Windom run in the third) with a trio of markers in the top of the fourth. A pair of walks, a throwing error from third base and an RBI single off the bat of Kellen Johnson helped the visitors to plate two runs before Weston Reinhard’s RBI single drove Heidebrink in from third base to make it an 8-4 game.
Heidebrink returned to the bump and fanned two of the three batters he faced in the bottom of the fourth. And his tenacity on a comebacker that skipped off his glove with two out in the fifth proved equally uplifting – giving PAS hope entering the sixth.
However, Struck and his defense were equal to the task in the top of the sixth, and the Windom bats came to life once more in the bottom of the frame.
A trio of hits off the bats of Erickson, Espenson and Perrizo helped the Eagles tally two markers, and to his dismay of relief pitcher Riley Bosma a suspect umpiring decision on what the Arrows (3-3) believed to be the third out gifted Windom its 11th run of the tilt.
Bosma had a hit in the top of the seventh, but Struck and company finished out the contest in stride.
“We’re supposed to have our home opener Thursday, and we’re running out of arms,” Koopman said. “Everybody’s in the same boat, but Kellen is out for the week, Merrick is out for the week and Quist blew a tire in the top of the first. It’s supposed to be his start, but we’ll have to see how he’s feeling. Otherwise Bosma’s going to have to throw until his arm falls off.
“Redwood is a good team; Windom beat them by a run yesterday, but there are no excuses coming in because everyone’s band-aided together in their pitching right now.”
PAS 010 300 0 – 4 7 4
Windom 161 003 X – 11 8 2
R-T-R 18, CMC 7
The Knights improved to 2-0 with a comeback victory over the Bluejays in Camden Conference play Tuesday evening in Prinsburg.
After tallying a run in the top of the first, R-T-R gave up four earned runs and a pair of unearned markers in the bottom of the frame to fall behind by five runs with one complete inning in the book.
The Knights answered with six runs of their own in the top second and gave up just one more marker the rest of the way in remaining perfect on the young season.
Hayden Gravley (3 inn., 4ER, 0H, 5K, 6W) and Aiden Wichmann (4 inn., 1ER, 3H, 5K, 4W) combined their efforts on the bump – with the former picking up the victory.
Aiden Wichmann paced the Knights at the plate, going 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBI. Cody Winchmann also finished 3-for-6 with a double and two RBI, while Blake Christianson was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
Isaac Dagel plated a pair in going 3-for-5. Gravley (RBI) and Drew Chandler each finished 2-for-4, while Elijah Determan and Gabriel Elton added a hit and an RBI, respectively.
The Knights will host the Minneota Vikings in Camden Conference action Friday in Ruthton.
R-T-R 161 001 9 – 18 16 2
CMC 600 001 0 – 7 3 7
SOFTBALL
R-T-R 10, D-B 0
The Knights improved to 2-0 on the season with a shutout of the Blackjacks Tuesday evening in Tyler.
Kya Alderson walked one in nearly posting a perfect game, giving up no hits and striking out 14 along the way. Her double also pushed a run across the plate.
Laken Baartman was 2-for-2 with an RBI, Whitney Bruns finished 2-for-4, and Madi Burns knocked in a run in going 1-for-4. Sara Hartson sacrificed in a pair of runs in the five-frame tilt.
The Knights are slated to host Camden Conference foe Lac qui Parle Valley Friday evening in Tyler.
D-B 000 00 – 0 0 5
R-T-R 330 31 – 10 6 0
TRACK & FIELD
Dick Davidson Invitational
Trevin DeWilde hands off to Colton Fey Tuesday in Slayton. J. Draper
The Pipestone Area Arrows and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Knights performed well at the seven-team event Tuesday evening in Slayton, sending a rash of athletes to the podium across the various disciplines.
The Arrows claimed the runner-up position on both sides of the team standings, as the boys finished with 104 points and the girls coming in with 113 markers. R-T-R was fifth in both the boys’ and girls’ meets – posting 53 and 65 points, respectively.
Pipestone Area highlights on the boys’ side were plentiful. Aiden Voss and Connor Wagner completed a double-double of sorts in the hurdles, going 1-2 in both the 110 and 300-meter events. Voss posted winning times of 15.57 seconds and 41.76 seconds, respectively, while Wagner came in with runner-up marks of 16.64 (PR) and 44.35.
The dynamic duo also joined forces with Caden Strasser and Austin Musch to claim a runner-up finish in the boys’ 4×400-meter relay in a time of 3:47.96. Strasser had won the open 800 meter before the relay, posting a PR time of 2:04.06.
Hayden Brooke also triumphed on the day, winning the 200 meters in a time of 24.22 seconds, and combined with Americ Suvandy, Trevin DeWilde and Colton Fey for runner-up finishes in both the 4×100 and 4×200-meter relays in respective times of 47.19 and 1:40.22.
Aidan Johnson had the lone individual victory for the R-T-R boys, posting a winning time of 11:39.71 in the 3,200 meters. Tucker Haroldson, Carson Gylling, Skyelar Martinez and Logan Roelofs teamed up to post a winning mark of 9:15.44 in the 4×800-meter relay.
Arinn McGee shows off her winning form Tuesday in Slayton. J. Draper
PAS senior thrower Arinn McGee claimed a double in Slayton, winning the girls’ shot put and discus at respective distances of 34 feet, 7.5 inches and 110 feet, 1 inch.
Caiya Strasser triumphed in the 100-meter hurdles for the Arrows, coming in at 17.54, while Naomi Wallace claimed a third consecutive girls’ high jump victory of the season at a height of 5 feet.
Senior teammate Meredith Draper snatched the top position in the 200 meters (27.93) and claimed runner-up honors in the 100-meter event in a time of 13.28 seconds.
Ava Guida had the top individual finish for the R-T-R girls, placing second in the triple jump at a PR distance of 29 feet, 6.5 inches, before joining forces with Abby Carr, Taya Christianson and Jaeryn Buchert for a runner-up finish in the 4×400-meter relay in a time of 4:44.75.
For complete results of the Dick Davidson Invitational, go to www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/496463/results/all.
BOYS’ TENNIS
Milbank, S.D. 7, PAS 2
The Arrows battled well in defeat Tuesday evening in Milbank, picking up a victory in both singles and doubles play in a non-conference make-up match originally slated for April 4.
Makhi Winter claimed a No. 2 singles tiebreak victory over Greg Grabow at 10-9 (7-5) before joining Chase Wilson to dispatch Grabow and Charles Whitesitt, 10-9 (7-4) in No. 2 doubles action.
Lucas Zupp fell victim to Milbank’s top singles player Joe Schulte, 10-5, while Cody Norberg and Wilson dropped 2-10 and 1-10 tallies to Will Snaza and Whitesitt at Nos. 3 and 4 singles. Matthew Swenson and Brady Dunn also dropped their singles matches, respectively bowing out to Isaiah Korstjens and Dan Shelstad at 1-10 and 3-10.
Zupp and Norberg dropped a 4-10 decision to Schutle and Snaza in No. 1 doubles action, while Swenson and Dunn were shut out (0-10) by Korstjens and Will Muellenbach in the No. 3 doubles tilt.
The Arrows will be back in action Thursday evening when they host the Redwood Valley Cardinals in Big South Conference play.
