The Spring Grove boys received a stellar pitching performance by senior reliever Ty Cleven, who was also one of five Lions with multiple base hits in a 12-5 road win at Mabel-Canton on May 4. It was the second victory over the Cougars in three days with a more comfortable margin than the previous 7-6 walk-off decision.
Photo by Lee Epps
Cleven struck out 12, walked only three and gave up only one hit in five and two-thirds innings of relief. He fanned seven of 11 batters faced during the last three innings. Mabel-Canton, with two early hits off Lion starter Jaxon Strinmoen, managed only three hits all game (all singles) but benefited from some Spring Grove charity. Among the five Cougar runs, only two were earned runs. Each pitching staff donated six walks. But Lion hurlers struck out 14 batters, while Cougar pitchers combined for four strikeouts.
The first three batters of the game all scored for a quick 3-0 Lion lead. The Cougars were back with in one run at 3-2 before Grove added one run in the third inning and erupted for three scores in the fourth for a seemingly comfortable 7-2 lead. But all three Lion errors came in one inning when Mabel-Canton scored three unearned runs to make things interesting at 7-5 after four innings. That score held through two scoreless innings until Lion bats created some breathing room with five insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
All Spring Grove runs were earned runs as the Lions hit with power with four doubles among the 11-hit attack. Strinmoen batted 3 for 3 with a double and three runs batted in. Cleven went 2 for three with as two-bagger while driving in two runs. Ezra Griffin (2 for 5) drove in three runs including a 2-RBI double while Elijah Solum (2 for 4) was busy driving in two runs and scoring three himself. Caleb Griffin went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
As a courtesy runner and pinch runner, Logan Brumm stole two bases and scored twice. Overall, the Lions swiped five bases, including two by Strinmoen. But Cougar catcher Tyler Larson also threw out two runners attempting to steal. Mabel-Canton was also aggressive on the base paths with six different Cougars contributing to seven stolen bases.
Since Spring Grove revived its stand-alone baseball program in 2016, the Lions have won 13 of the 14 games versus Mabel-Canton Two-thirds of the way through the conference race, Spring Grove (6-2, 6-2 SEC) remained in third place, and Mabel-Canton (2-10, 2-6 SEC) remained in fifth place with four conference games to go.
The Spring Grove B-team (4-3-2) also completed a season sweep of Mabel-Canton, 9-0. The junior high Lions dropped a home double header versus Houston.
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SG 12, M-C 5
SG 301 300 5 =12–11–3
M-C 110 300 0 = 5–3–2
LOB: SG 6, M-C 8
Stolen bases: SG 5, M-C 7
SG 11 hits (4 doubles, 7 singles): Jaxon Strinmoen 3-3, , dbl, 2 RBI, 2 steals; Ty Cleven 2-3, dbl, 2 RBI; Elijah Solum 2-4, dbl, 2 RBI, 3 runs; Ezra Griffin 2-5, dbl, 3 RBI; Caleb Griffin 2-4, RBI, 2 runs, steal
M-C 3 hits (3 singles):
Pitching SG: Jaxon Strinmoen 1 2.3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3W, 2K; Winning pitcher- Ty Cleven 5 2/3 IP, 1 HG, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 W `12 K
Pitching M-C: 7 IP. 12 R, 12 ER, 6 W, 4 K (losing pitcher Cayden Tollefsrud, reliever Isaac Underbakke)
Records: SG 6-2 (6-2 SEC); M-C 2-10 (2-6 SEC)
SG LINEUP: p Strinmoen, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Brandon Jahnke, 2b Nathan Solberg, ss Ben Udstuen, 3b Caleb Griffin, lf Zach Brumm, cf Elijah Solum, rf Braedon Solie, dh Jacob Solum, cr Logan Brumm,. Caleb Ranzenberger & Bruyce Berns
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Spring Grove Baseball 2023 (SEC games in bold)
>>6-2 (6-2 SEC)
W at GMLOK 15-4
W vs. Houston 10-2
L at Southland 4-5
Fri. 4- 21 (at Austin) Blooming Prairie, canceled
Mon. 4-24 Rushford-Peterson, canceled
W vs. Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 14-4
W vs. GMLOK 6-2
Sat. 4-29 (at Minneapolis) Martin County West, canceled
L at Lyle/Pacelli 1-3
W vs. Mabel-Canton 7-6
W at Mabel-Canton 12-5
Fri. 5-05 Lyle/Pacelli
Mon. 5-08 Wabasha-Kellogg
Tues. 5-09 at Houston
Fri. 5-12 Southland
Sat. 5-13 vs. Goodhue 12 noon (at Rushford Tournament)
- Hayfield or Rushford-Peterson
Tues. 5-16 Kenyon-Wanamingo
Fri. 5-19 Fillmore Central/Lanesboro
Mon. 5-22 at Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons
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B-Team Baseball
>>4 wins, 3 losses, 2 ties
L at Caledonia 4-14
T at GMLOK 3-3
L vs. Houston 3-6
T at Southland 0-0
W vs. Houston 8-5
W vs. GMLOK 4-2
L at Lyle/Pacelli 4-7
W vs. Mabel-Canton 4-2
W at Mabel-Canton 9-0
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Junior High Baseball
>>3 wins, 9 losses
L vs. Mabel-Canton
L vs. Mabel-Canton
L vs. GMLOK
W vs. GMLOK
L vs. Houston
L vs. Houston
W vs. GMLOK
W vs. GMLOK
L at Mabel-Canton
L at Mabel-Canton
L vs. Houston
L vs. Houston
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