Photo by Angie Meiners
Chatfield baseball had a quite a bit of turnover from last year’s squad to this season, but the new influx of talent, many key players off the state title football team, has the Gophers off to a great start to the campaign. Brian Baum’s group posted three “crooked” wins the week of Monday, April 18. On Tuesday, they trekked to Lewiston and took out the Cardinals by a 9-1 final. Key returning senior Caden Nolte (2-3, RBI, 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, Win) did dual duty including allowing just one hit through six innings. He improved to 2-0 on the mound. Jackson Schild (2-3, RBI, R) also collected two hits. Connor Jax (1-3, RBI), Jack Dornack (3 R), Luke Carrier (1-3, 2 R), and Drew Schindler (1-5, RBI, R) aided the cause. Walks and errors hindered L-A, as they offered five free passes to Chatfield’s one and had more defensive miscues. Chatfield then hosted Wabasha-Kellogg for a Thursday doubleheader. Game one saw the Gophers charge out 10-0 after three innings. They scored three in the bottom of the fifth to win 13-3 in five. Returning All-TRC players Drew O’Connor (3-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) and Nolte (2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R) led the way. O’Connor blasted a 2-run home run over the left-field fence. Luke Carrier (2-3, RBI, 3 R) also had multiple hits. Carter Daniels (4 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1-3, RBI, R) grabbed the win on the mound. Game two had the Falcons holding a 1-0 lead after three. But Chatfield’s bats slowly got to Falcon pitcher Garrett Pavelka. The Gophers scored three in the fourth, four in the fifth, and six in the sixth. Chatfield again won 13-3, this time in six innings. Connor Jax (2-4, two 2Bs, 3 RBI, 2 R), Schild (2-4, 2 RBI, R), Daniels (2-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R), and Nolte (2-4, RBI, R) each had multiple hits. Nolte ran his four-game RBI total to seven. He had a team best 29 RBIs last season. Carrier (5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) picked up the win. O’Connor (1-2, 2B, RBI) and Dornack (1-3, 2B, RBI, R) also contributed to the offensive attack. Ryan Nosbisch (1-1, 2B, RBI) gave Chatfield six doubles. The Gophers (4-0, 4-0) are off to a perfect start having beaten three TRC-West teams.