Baseball: Walkoffs Help Get Warriors to 11 in a Row

A dramatic week for Caledonia baseball stoked a massive win streak. At Lourdes, victory was in peril following a five-run fourth that put the Eagles up 7-2. But the Warriors responded with a nine-run fifth. Ten straight reached to start the inning. Hunter Goetzinger and Owen Denstad had a two-run doubles. The Warriors exited up 11-7. Lourdes came back with three in their half to make it 11-10. But a Tanner Ginther single in the sixth resulted in three Warrior runs. The 14-10 lead held as the final. Goetzinger (3-4, 2B, 4 RBI), Denstad (2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R), and Ginther (2-5, 3 RBI, R) combined for 10 RBIs. Will Allen had three hits (3-4, 2 R) and got the win (3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 2 K) in relief of Garrett Konz (4 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). Drew Yahnke (2-5, 2B, RBI, R), Ben Stemper (2-4, RBI, 2 R), Landon O’Heron (1-2, 3 R), and Konz (1-3, 2 R) also contributed. Caledonia both scored, and gave up, season-high run totals. The Warriors then hosted PEM in a down-to-the wire affair. The Bulldogs scored a run in the seventh to tie it 2-2. A half inning later, Konz walked, stole second, and went to third on a passed ball. Yahnke singled him home for the walkoff 3-2 win! O’Heron (6 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) collected the win. Konz (2-3) scored twice. Stemper (1-4, 2B) and Yahnke (1-4) had RBI’s. Yahnke (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K) got the last three outs. Cal left eight men on base, PEM 10. At W-K, Caledonia used a four-run sixth to break a 1-1 tie and build a 5-1 lead. The Warriors had one hit, two walks, and a fielder’s choice in the frame, scoring runs via the FC, two via error, and one via sac fly. The Falcons fell 5-2. W-Allen (5 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 5 K) collected the win. Jack Schmitz (2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) got the final five outs. Yahnke (0-3, 2 RBI), Stemper (0-2, RBI, R), and Denstad (0-1, RBI) did work without getting hits, as the Warriors had just two. Randolph then came to town for Saturday matinee. It was a pitchers’ duel. Randolph scored in the first. The Warriors tied it in the third. The 1-1 score then stood for four-plus innings. In the bottom of the seventh, Caledonia loaded the bases with no out but came away empty. Five straight Rockets then reached in their eighth. A lead-off single was gunned down (by Goetzinger) trying to steal second. Out number two was a bases loaded force at home (Ginther to Goetzinger). Relief pitcher O’Heron got the last out via strikeout. In Caledonia’s eighth, with two out, Yahnke walked, Denstad reached on an infield single, and Reid Klug punched one into left field, scoring pinch runner Schmitz from second for another walkoff win! Caledonia had just four hits, Randolph six. Klug (1-3) had the only RBI. Allen (1-2, R) and Schmitz scored. O’Heron (2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K) collected the win in relief of Yahnke’s quality start (6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K). Randolph’s Tristan Zingler (2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) went seven innings for a no decision. Winners of 11 in a row, the Warriors (8-0, 11-1) and #8 in AA La Crescent/Hokah (8-0, 8-0) lead the TRC-East.