Small Town News
Long Sox fall to St. Martin
Email
Print
Tweet
CopyFinish season 30-11-1
The marathon game. It's as much of the state amateur baseball tournament as hot dogs, home-runs, and the seventh-inning stretch. Last Friday evening, the Lamberton Long Sox and St. Martin Martins took their turn at this annual rite. After 22 of the 28 half-innings played ended scoreless, the Region 15 champs were able to push across their fifth and final run to keep their dream alive-while ending
Lamberton's memorable campaign at 30-11-1.
At about 6:15 that evening, a 14-inning game was the furthest thing from anyone's mind. Thanks to an error, a hit-by-pitch, and Josh Harrison's 3 RBI double, the Martins took the quick 3-0 advantage. The veteran Long Sox quickly stormed back, however. Matt Samyn led off the second by drawing ball four on a full count, and was joined on the basepa-ths by Landon Erickson. Johnny Pistulka moved his teammates over with a sacrafice bunt, but Tyler Reiner grounded to short. However, the ball's hop caught the shortstop off guard-which not only advanced Reiner, but brought in Samyn and Erickson to bring the Sox to within one.
Another leadoff walk issued by Martin pitcher Brad Mergen, who pitched for the Brainerd Lunkers in the
Northwoods League this past summer, helped the Region 2C champs. Erickson came around for the second time in the game when Mike Anderson found the cen-ter-rightfield gap for a 2-out single in the top of the fourth. Anderson, who played for Searles in the regular season, was filling in for an injured Andy Cook at catcher.
Mergen and Derrick Jenniges both continued yet another pitching duel in Sibley County, as both offenses were kept in check until the bottom of the seventh. Designated hitter Jake Thelen, who like most of his teammates played his high school ball for Albany, brought in Scott
Schlangen to put his team back up 4-3.
Not wanting to see their season end, the Sox used their last chance to tie the score. Anderson led off the ninth with his second hit of the game, and Jenniges reached on a bunt single when he beat the first baseman to the bag. With two outs, and runners on first and second, Colby Pack came through once again-bringing All-Tourney Team selection Jenniges home with a single off the reliever Brent Heinen. Matt Samyn followed Pack with a single of his own, but Donald Strand was thrown out at home attempting to score the go ahead run.
After Lamberton was retired in order in the top of the tenth, St. Martin loaded the sacks with two outs in the bottom of the tenth. Pack, who came in to pitch the ninth inning, came through on the mound as well-forcing Nathan Beier to ground to Mike Samyn at short, who flipped to Isaac Jenniges at second for the force. Matt Johnson, the second Searles draftee on the Lamberton playoff roster, came in to pitch the eleventh.
Johnson and his Martin counterpart quieted the bats until the bottom of the fourteenth, where the first three St. Martin batters all reached. Before Luke Rothstein could step into the box, manager Derrick Jenniges came in from the outfield to utilize the "five-infielder" strategy in order to make the double play more likely. However, Rothstein executed a perfect bunt, bringing in his teammate home at 9:20 and advancing the Martins to play Hanska.
St. Cloud Orthopedic defeated Hanska 4-1 in the Labor Day championship to win the Class C title. Cannon Falls finished third and Winsted fourth.
Thirty wins was the most for the Long Sox since they started playing in 2002. The 2009 team set a handful of individual and team records www.lambertonlongsox.co m. Veteran righthander Derrick Jenniges led the Sox on the hill with a 12-0-3 record, 90 K/18 BB, and a 1.08 ERA in 116 innings pitched. Donald Strand led the team with a career high .375 batting average. Colby Pack set team records in runs (39) and RBI (33). Landon Erickson let the defense with a .993 fielding %, committing just two errors all season. The 42 games played this summer were the most by any Long Sox team.
Copyright 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 SmallTownPapers, Inc.
© 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.
More from Sentinel Tribune