by Tom Elliot
ELROSA — The Elrosa Saints head into the Stearns County League’s final weekend with no shot at a North Division title.They can, however, finish second behind Spring Hill. And that’s big, because that means home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs, when the Stearns County League uses a best-of-three format.Elrosa moved closer to clinching second place by beating Meire Grove 11-5 on a perfect Tuesday night under the lights at Saints Field in Elrosa.The Saints (8-4 Stearns County North, 10-6 overall) trailed 4-0 early, then put six runs on the electronic scoreboard in the second inning. It was a different game after that for the Grovers (6-6), who will finish fourth in the division after having a shot at second heading into Tuesday’s game.“We got down early and then we battled back,” said Elrosa catcher Steve Mueller, who had a two-run single in the second to drive in the inning’s fifth and sixth runs.The victory broke a three-game league losing streak for the Saints, who lost twice to Spring Hill, then fell to New Munich before Tuesday’s win.Elrosa had 11 hits. Jon Olmscheid led the way, going 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.Mueller and Mike Zenzen each added two hits for the Saints.“It was a good performance,” Mueller said. “We’ve been struggling on offense during our slump.”The slump-breakers Tuesday were brothers Ethan and Aaron Vogt. They, along with Matt Middendorf, held the Grovers to three hits after the first two innings. Meire Grove nearly knocked Vogt, who pitched for the University of Minnesota this spring, out of the box in the second. Ryan Klaphake’s three-run double gave the Grovers a 4-0 lead.“Gosh, they’re scrappy,” said Elrosa player/manager Pat Illies.“(The Grovers) just keep coming at you.”Vogt’s performance was especially noteworthy to the Grovers.“He no-hit us last year,” said Meire Grove second baseman Doug Meyer, who had two hits, as did Darrin Yarke. “To get to him right away like we did tonight was a big monkey off our back.”Mueller said he and Vogt started mixing in his cut fastball. The 2005 Northwoods League pitcher of the year finished with five strikeouts and one walk in six innings.The Saints can clinch second place with a win Friday night against Greenwald. Elrosa plays the Cubs at 8:15 p.m. in the regular-season finale.Meire Grove, meanwhile, must play Spring Hill. The Grovers won the first game between the two this season.“That was like the second or third game of the season and they didn’t have Shawn Schoenberg,” Meyer said of the Chargers’ ace and St. John’s University star. “And, we’re going to have to play them right away in the playoffs.”

Meire Grove 130 000 010 – 5 9 2
Elrosa           062 012 000 – 11 12 0