One swing of the bat by Ezra Griffin seemed to change anything in Spring Grove’s 7-3 non-conference baseball win over visiting Wabasha-Kellogg on May 8. In last season’s section game, Falcon freshman Cole Scheel had tossed a one-hit shutout to end Spring Grove’s season. In this 2023 rematch, Scheel had retired the first nine Lion batters in order, including six strikeouts. That meant Scheel, now a sophomore, had pitched 10 consecutive shutout innings (allowing only one base hit) versus the Lions. That ended when Griffin parked a home run over the right field fence to lead off the SG fourth. Wabasha-Kellogg (4-9) scored the first three runs (all in one inning) and Spring Grove (7-3) scored the last seven.
Photo by Lee Epps
The Falcons out-hit Spring Grove 7-5, but they only put hits together during their big three-run inning. And three of those five Lion hits went for extra bases – the home run and two doubles. And with three W-K errors, only three Lion runs were earned runs. W-K left 10 runners on base, while Grove stranded only four. Scheel took the loss while striking out eight, walking two and having two runs scored on balks.
W-K had left the bases loaded in the scoreless first inning and then stranded two more in the scoreless second. Then they scored the game’s first three runs in the top of the third with three hits, a walk and a hit batter. It was all Falcons until Griffin’s home run ignited a game-tying three-run Lion rally. A walk to Brandon Jahnke, a single from Jaxon Strinmoen, a rally-extending error and a balk made it 3-3 at the end of four innings.
The Lions added three more runs in the next inning with an error, a single from Griffin and an RBI double from Jahnke, a walk and a sacrifice fly by Elijah Solum. One run scored on a balk. SG led 6-3. The final run came in the next (sixth) inning with a walk, an error and an RBI double from Braedon Solie.
Spring Grove starting and winning pitcher Ty Cleven blanked the visitors in four of his five innings on the mound, and Jahnke earned the save while shutting out the Falcons during the final two frames. Cleven (eight strikeouts, five walks), in his first start this season, earned his second pitching win in seven days after an impressive appearance in relief against Mabel-Canton.
The defensive play of the day was the last play of the day when first baseman Strinmoen dove forward to grab a soft line drive in foul territory.
It had been four years since a Lion batter had an over-the-fence home run at Blayne Onsgard Memorial Field, but now there have been two in the last seven days with Solum’s blast against Mabel-Canton and Griffin’s clout against Wabasha-Kellogg.
The Falcons lead the series versus Spring Grove, 4-2. The Lions were short-handed with injuries. Caleb Griffin did not play, and Solum did not play in the field but batted as the designated hitter. The Falcons won the B-team game, 7-6
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SG 7, W-K 3
W-K 003 000 0 = 3–7–3
SG 000 331 x = 7–5–1
LOB: SG 4, W-K 10
Stolen bases: SG 2, W-K 2
SG 5 hits (home run, 2 doubles, 2 singles): Ezra Griffin 2-4, HR, RBI, 2 runs; Jaxon Strinmoen 1-2, run; Brandon Jahnke 1-3, dbl, RBI, 2 runs; Braedon Solie 1-3, dbl, RBI, run
W-K 7 hits (double, 6 singles):
Pitching SG: winning pitcher Ty Cleven 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 W, 1 HB, 8 K; save Brandon Jahnke 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 W, 1 K
Pitching: losing pitcher Cole Scheel 5 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 W, 8 K; Dom Busch 1 IP, 1 H, 1R, 1 ER, 1 W, 0 K
Records: SG 7-3, W-K 4-9
SG LINEUP: p Ty Cleven, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Jaxon Strinmoen, 2b Nathan Solberg, ss Ben Udstuen, lf Bryce Berns, cf Zach Brumm, rf Braedon Solie, ph Gabe Klug, cr Logan Brumm & Jacob Solum
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Spring Grove Baseball 2023 (SEC games in bold)
>>7-3 (7-3 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
L vs. Lyle/Pacelli 0-7
W vs. Wabasha-Kellogg 7-3
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, 4 losses, 3 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
T vs. Lyle/Pacelli 10-10
L at Houston 1-6
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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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