Trailing by three runs, Spring Grove scored four times without a base hit to take the lead for the first time in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on for a stunning 7-6 win over preseason state-ranked No. 9 Lyle/Pacelli at Blayne Onsgard Memorial Field on April 11.
Photo by Lee Epps
The Athletics (0-1, 0-1 SEC) managed only one hit, but it traveled at least 340 feet over the centerfield fence. A walk and an error helped make it a three-run home run by freshman designated hitter Hunter VaDeer. That 3-0 lead became 5-0 after another error and three more walks – all during the third inning.
Lion bats came to life for three runs in the fourth inning. Sophomore Elijah Solum led off being hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single from freshman Brandon Jahnke. That was the first of three successive hits, including freshman Ezra Griffin and junior Logan Brumm belting back-to-back RBI doubles. The deficit had been trimmed to 5-3, but the Athletics added an insurance run without a base hit. A walk, a stolen base and a pair of wild pitches made it 6-3
In the bottom of that fifth inning, Spring Grove received singles from Solum and freshman Zach Brumm but could not score, leaving the bases loaded. The Lions still trailed despite outhitting L/P 6 to 1. There would be no more hits for either team,
In the top of the sixth inning, Lion freshman Ben Udstuen went to the mound with the bases loaded and only one out. He struck out the next two batters; it was still 6-3. L/P reliever Jake Truckenmiller walked the bases loaded and two Lions came home on an error. Then Zach Brumm scored on a wild pitch to tie the score with one out. A ground out by Solum brought home Caleb Griffin with the go-ahead run. The Lions led for the first time in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, a strikeout pitched by Udstuen, a diving grab in right field by sophomore Jacob Olerud and a ground out ended the game. Olerud had the defensive play of the game during his only inning in the field. Udstuen, in his first career varsity mound appearance, earned the win, striking out three and walking none during one and two-thirds innings of relief.
“Crazy game today,” said coach Chris Strinmoen. “One thing I’ve learned over the last couple years is that our guys are never out of it. I call them the “comeback kids”, because we’ve had so many wild finishes recently that have ended on the good side for us.
“Today, we offered up to many free runs through walks and untimely errors. Luckily, we stuck with it and received some charity runs ourselves late in the game. Looking back at the sixth inning, we had huge at-bats by Logan (Brumm) and Zach (Brumm), finding ways to draw walks when they had two strikes on them. And then LP had a big error that let us back in the game. Sometimes that’s just how high school baseball works out. Find any way you can win.
“I have to tip my hat to Ben Udstuen. After Caleb (Griffin) and Ty (Cleven) had some difficulty finding the strike zone, Ben came in late and settled everything down. I have a ton of confidence in him, because he throws strikes and has some crazy movement on his pitches. Great first career win for Ben.”
Jahnke (2 for 3), the only batter with multiple hits, had twice as many hits as the L/P team. With only seven base hits all game, it was often a battle of strikeouts versus walks. A pair of L/P pitchers combined to strike out nine, walk five and hit one batter. A trio of Lion hurlers, struck out 14 and walked 13. All three Spring Grove errors came during the Athletics’ big five-run inning. L/P had two errors, one of which contributed to the Lions’ game-winning, four-run rally.-
Lyle/Pacelli won the three-inning B-team game, 12-2. Braedon Solie had the lone Lion hit.
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L/P 005 010 0 = 6—1–2
SG 000 304 x = 7—6–3
LOB: SG 5, L/P 10
Stolen bases: SG 2, L/P 4
SG 6 hits: (2 doubles, 4 singles) Brandon Jahnke 2-3, RBI, run, sb; Logan Brumm 1-2, double, RBI, run; Zach Brumm 1-2, run, sb; Ezra Griffin 1-3, double, RBI, run; Elijah Solum 1-3, RBI, run;
L/P 1 hit: Hunter VaDeer 1-3, home run, 3 RBI, 2 sb
Pitching SG: Caleb Griffin 4 innings, 1 hit, 5 runs, 2 earned runs, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts; Ty Cleven 1.1 innings, 0 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 6 walks, 1 strikeout; Ben Udstuen (WP) 1.2 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts
Pitching Lyle/Pacelli: Jack Klingfus 4 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, 1 hit batter, 5 strikeouts; Jake Truckenmiller (LP) 2 innings, 1 hit, 4 runs, 3 earned runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Records: SG 2-0 (2-0 SEC); L/P 0-1 (0-1 SEC)
Series: since SG reinstated baseball in 2016, series tied 6 wins each
SG LINEUP: p Caleb Griffin, Ty Cleven & Ben Udstuen, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Strinmoen, 2b Ben Udstuen & Caleb Griffin, ss Nathan Solberg, 3b Brandon Jahnke, lf Zach Brumm, cf Elijah Solum, rf Dane Edgington & Jacob Olerud, dh Logan Brumm, courtesy runner Braedon Solie
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Spring Grove Varsity Baseball 2022
2 wins, 0 losses (2-0 SEC)
(4:30 p.m. first pitch unless noted) * SEC game
W vs. GMLOK* 5-1
Tues. 04-05 Mabel-Canton* postponed
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli*7-6
Tues. 04-12 at Houston*postponed
Mon. 04-18 Cotter/Hope Lutheran
Fri. 04-22 Schaeffer Academy*
Mon. 04-25 Wabasha-Kellogg 5 p.m.
Tues. 04-26 at Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons*
Fri. 04-29 at GMLOK* (at Spring Valley)
Mon. 05-02 at Southland* (at Adams)
Tues. 05-03 at Mabel-Canton* site changed from original schedule
Fri. 05-06 at Lyle/Pacelli* (at Austin)
Mon. -05-09 Martin County West 5 p.m. (at Austin, Riverland College)
Tues. 05-10 Houston*
Fri. 05-13 Southland*
Sat. 05-14 at Rushford-Peterson Tourney, 10 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
Sat. 05-14 at Rushford-Peterson Tourney, approx. 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.
Tues. 05-17 at Schaeffer Academy (Rochester)*
Thur. 05-19 Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons*
Fri. 05-20 at Fillmore Central/Lanesboro (at Preston)
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Spring Grove B-Team Baseball 2022
0 wins, 2 losses
L vs. GMLOK 2-5
L vs. Lyle/Pacelli 2-12