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Last updated
09-01-09 08:10 AM
 
Elrosa Saints
Matt Middendorf
320-219-3488
P.O. Box 193
Browerville, Minnesota
56438
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 Saints News: ELROSA SAINTS ONE WIN FROM STATE TOURNAMENT |
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Wednesday, August 12
ELROSA SAINTS ONE WIN FROM STATE TOURNAMENT
|  | | KEVIN KEUFLER'S HUGE RBI SINGLE!!! | |
By Randy Olson
The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team had two outstanding days at the office over the weekend, going 2-0 in their first two Region 15C tournament games to advance to the winner’s bracket final.
On Saturday they rode the pitching arms of Aaron Vogt and Matt Imdieke (Meire Grove draftee) to overcome a 12-inning performance from Norway Lake-Sunburg’s Chris Braaten, defeating the Lakers 5-4 with a walk-off RBI-single by Pat Illies in the bottom of the 12th.
The next day Ethan Vogt pitched a complete-game two-hitter against Stearns County League-North nemesis New Munich, defeating the Silverstreaks 3-0. The win evens the season series at 2-2, with a possible rematch coming up next weekend if both teams continue winning.
The Saints (13-10 overall) advance to the winner's bracket final to face St.Martin this Saturday at 12:00 Noon in Spring Hill. The winner of that game advances to the state tournament. The loser would play on Sunday at Noon against the winner of the New Munich vs. Norway Lake-Sunburg elimination game.
Complete info on the Region 15C tournament, including brackets and more photos can be found online at bbejaguars.blogspot.com.
In other Region 15C matchups: New Munich 14, Lake Henry 5 - St.Martin 3, Regal 2 - St.Martin 8, Lake Henry 1 - Norway Lake/Sunburg 1, Regal 0. With their 0-2 performances over the weekend, Lake Henry and Regal are eliminated from the region tournament.
Elrosa 5, Norway Lake/Sunburg 4 (12 innings)
Elrosa starter Aaron Vogt cruised through five innings of no-hit pitching to make life difficult at the plate for the Norway Lake-Sunburg hitters.
Ethan Vogt's two-out double lifted the offense into gear, with Pat Illies and Steve Mueller both earning RBI-doubles for a quick 2-0 lead. NL-S starter Chris Braaten got out of the inning with the second of his two strikeouts.
The Saints left two stranded in the third inning and one in the fourth.
In the top of the sixth, Lakers' leadoff hitter Aaron Zimmer hit a single. After the Lakers hit another single, Elrosa catcher Nate Terres, draftee from Spring Hill, gunned down Zimmer leading off on second base with the tag by shortstop Matt Middendorf.
After another hit to get two baserunners in play, the Lakers hit a two-RBI double to tie the game on one out. After a pop up and a walk, Vogt was retired from the mound by Meire Grove draftee Matt Imdieke, who fired three straight strikes for the third out.
Steve Mueller’s one-out solo home run gave the Saints a huge boost in the bottom of the sixth, a shot sent over the left field fence.
After Nate Terres led off with a single in the eighth, Ethan Vogt’s RBI-double put the Saints ahead 4-2.
NL-S made the most of three walks issued to them in the top of the ninth, as they tied the game on a two out, two-RBI double.
Elrosa went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, falling to two strikeouts and a grounder to send the game into extra innings.
Imdieke put the clamps down on NL-S in the extra innings, firing three strikeouts against one walk in the 10th, while taking out the Lakers in order in the final two frames.
Elrosa left one stranded in the 10th and three in the 11th. After Middendorf's leadoff single in the 12th, a Lakers’ fielding error on a Nate Terres bunt put the Lakers on the ropes.
Ethan Vogt was issued an intentional walk to load the bases and set up potential squeeze plays. It would not matter, however, as Pat Illies hit a walk-off RBI-single to right field to score Middendorf and end the game.
Left on base totals: Elrosa 11, NL-S 7. Elrosa's Aaron Vogt and Matt Imdieke combined to hold the Lakers to five hits.
Lakers’ starter Chris Braaten, an ace on the Ridgewater Warriors staff, compiled the following pitching line: IP-11 H-11 R-5 ER-5 BB-3 K-8.
Pitching lines for Elrosa - Aaron Vogt IP-5 2/3 H-4 R-2 ER-2 BB-1 K-8, Matt Imdieke (W) IP-6 1/3 H-1 R-2 ER-2 BB-4 K-7. NL/S - Chris Braaten (L) IP-11 H-11 R-5 ER-5 BB-3 K-8.
Elrosa 3, New Munich 0
Three straight hits on New Munich starter Jim Thull to lead off the bottom of the first for Elrosa put the Saints up 2-0 right out of the gates, An RBI-double cby Nate Terres started the scoring, a hit followed by an RBI-single from Ethan Vogt. A walk to Pat Illies, a fielder's choice, and a grounder stranded two baserunners.
The Silverstreaks, meanwhile, struggled at the plate against Saints' starter Ethan Vogt, who made the most of his 105 pitches. Chad Funk's two out single in the third gave New Munich some life. Little did they know, however, that Darin Funk's leadoff single in the fourth would be the last of the hitting for their bats.
Thull took down Elrosa in order in the second and third. New Munich's defense was aided by a stellar over-the-fence pop fly grab by catcher Joe Stangler to help leave two stranded.
In the sixth, Pat Illies led off with a triple that hit the center field fence. Kevin Kuefler's RBI-single put the Saints up 3-0. A 6-4-3 double play got New Munich out of the inning.
Thull was retired by Spring Hill draftee Eric Schoenberg in the seventh. He got the job done on the mound, not giving up a hit the rest of the way.
Elrosa's infield was crisp, twisting sharp 4-6-3 and 6-4-3 double plays in the 8th and 9th, with the speed of shortstop Middendorf and second baseman Randy Duevel making it look easy.
Pitching lines: Elrosa - Ethan Vogt IP-9 H-2 R-0 ER-0 BB-1 K-3. New Munich - Jim Thull IP-6 2/3 H-7 R-3 ER-3 BB-2 K-4, Eric Schoenberg IP 1 1/3 H-1 R-0 ER-0 BB-0 K-1.
 | | PAT ILLIES STRETCHES TO COMPLETE THE DOUBLE PLAY!! |
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