Small Town News

Long Sox still alive

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In a season filled with milestones, the Lamberton Long Sox earned yet another accomplishment in their 3-1 win over Windom last Friday at the state amateur baseball tournament. With a second win in as many games at Gaylord's Walsh Field, the black and gold could officially call themselves one of the "Elite Eight" of Class C baseball for 2009. After a 14-1 defeat at the hands of the Winsted Wildcats on Sunday, the Sox will try to earn their way back into the championship round beginning on Friday, September 4, at 6 p.m. in Gaylord against the St. Martin Martins, who lost 10-5 to St. Cloud Orthopedic.

Friday's contest between two region champs pitted a pair of hurlers who had tossed shutouts in their respective tourney openers. With Derrick Jenniges searching for his 12th win of 2009 without a defeat, the Windom Pirates sent SMSU standout and Luverne draftee Jared Pick, who needed fewer than 90 pitches to dispose of the Moorhead Miners. While Jenniges received help from a stellar defense (centerfielder Donald Strand snared a would-be gapper to begin the fourth, followed by Colby Pack's dig at third to throw out the runner), the Sox made Pick work for his goose eggs.

After Lamberton had left runners on first and second in back-to-back innings, the hometeam broke through in the fourth. Andy Cook took ball four (he would walk three times in the game), and was moved to second by Jenniges' bunting skills. Tyler Reiner filled first base after battling through a full count for another base on balls, but Pick caught the next batter looking. Strand, who had earlier possibly prevented a Pirate run from scoring, gave the Sox the 1-0 lead on an RBI single that eluded the second baseman. "It's been a while since we've seen a lefty," Strand stated. "However, you know he's going to throw strikes, and it was important for us to get that first run."

After the young Pirates (their roster consists of mainly 18 and 19-year olds) failed to lay down a bunt in two key fifth inning at bats, the Region 13C champs ran themselves out of the sixth. Brett Dumke led off with a single, but Leavenworth draftee (and former SMSU Mustang) Andy Cook gunned him down at second on a steal attempt. With two outs and Kody Johnson at first, Kirby Johnson hit a single to center. Strand relayed the ball into Mike Samyn at short, whose throw home to Cook beat Johnson by a good distance, getting Lamberton out of the inning.

Although Windom broke Jenniges' 16-inning state shutout streak in the eighth, Lamberton's 8-batter, 2-run sixth inflated Pick's pitch count, and deflated any chances at a comeback. Reiner came home with two outs on a wild pitch, and Johnny Pistulka followed him on Pack's bases-loaded walk (in all Windom pitching issued 10 free passes). Pistulka and Strand each had two hits in the team's 6-hit attack, and Lamberton played yet another error-free game. "We know Derrick's not going to give up a lot of hits," said Strand. "We want to come out and play good D, because that's what wins games up here."

Dominant pitching continued to be the theme in the first 7 innings of Sunday's double-elimination bracket opener, as Region 7C champ Winsted (26-12) led 2-0 heading into the eighth. Outfielder Gregg Kohler's lead-off homer changed the tone, however, as the Wildcats sent 12 men to the plate in that inning while denting homeplate 8 times against the Lamberton bullpen. After leading off the bottom of the eighth with a walk, Mike Samyn extended the game by coming in to score after Colby Pack reached on the second baseman's throwing error. The visitors in blue, who are made up mostly of Lester Prairie High graduates, put the game out of reach in the ninth with four more runs to make the final score 14-1.

Highlights in an otherwise bleak afternoon for Lamberton included Strand's diving catch in the third, Colby Pack's continued solid play at third, and seven strong innings by draftee Matt Johnson of Searles.

Watkins' power surge was too much, though, as Joe Kley and Marc Koher also went deep for the Wildcats.

There are four undefeated teams remaining in the tournament (St. Cloud Orthopedic, Winsted, Hanska, Cannon Falls) and four teams with one loss (Lamberton, St. Martin, St. Cloud Snappers, Blue Earth). Lamberton will send Derrick Jenniges (12-0) to the mound again Friday night. The probable start for St. Martin will be Brad Mergen a draftee from Albany. Mergen has struck out 25 batters in 15 innings thus far in two state tournament victories.

Tourney notes:

Fellow Tomahawk entry Hanska remains undefeated after downing the Moorhead Brewers 10-4 and Class C power Blue Earth 3-1. Josh Hadley, a Stark draftee, earned the win on Sunday against the Pirates. Hanska will face Cannon Falls Friday night in Arlington at 8:30 p.m.

If Lamberton defeats St. Martin Friday night they will play again Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Arlington versus the Hanska/Cannon Falls loser.

The Class C tournament continues throughout Labor Day weekend, a complete schedule, maps to the fields, and additional tournament information can be found at www.minnesotabaseball.c om <http://www.min-nesotabaseball.com>

Games can be heard on KNUJ radio 107.3 FM



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© 2009 Sentinel Tribune Westbrook, Minnesota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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