Spring Grove (3-0, 3-0 SEC) scored in every inning but did not have a big inning until erupting for five runs to end the game in the sixth inning – a run-rule 12-2 win over Houston with temperatures in the 40s on a rainy, misty and windy Friday night at Blayne Onsgard Memorial Field on April 22.
“Even with the wet conditions, it felt good to finally be able to get out and play again,” said coach Chris Strinmoen. “We did everything we could to get that field ready to play. We pushed the start time back to 6 p.m. and spent two hours raking and using diamond dry to get this one in.”
Junior starter Caleb Griffin and freshman reliever Ben Udstuen combined to toss a two-hitter. With Griffin on the mound, nine of the 12 outs came with strikeouts. Udstuen fanned four of the seven batters he faced. Hurricane freshmen Morgan Rohweder (2 for 2) had both singles, one against each hurler. “We received another great start on the mound from Caleb,” said Strinmoen, “and Ben followed it up with excellent relief work.”
Seven different Lions contributed to the nine-hit attack, and Nathan Solberg had a pair of sacrifice flyballs, making him one of seven Spring Grove batters with runs batted in. All three extra-base knocks came during that five-hit, sixth-inning explosion against two Houston relief pitchers. Logan Brumm (1 for 2) led off with a triple. Following a walk, strikeout and outfield error, freshman Zach Brumm (2 for 3) doubled. Winning pitcher Griffin tripled and scored the final run on an Elijah Solum (2 for 3, 2 RBI) sacrifice fly to invoke the run-rule with only one out.
“I was very pleased to see the bats start to come to life, especially in that sixth inning,” added the coach. “We’ve seen the hard-hit balls in our indoor cage, but it hadn’t translated onto the field until tonight. I know a few of our guys were excited to finally break out.
“I love to see Zach Brumm growing up as a hitter in front of our eyes. His swing is so pretty, and he is now riding that confidence that I didn’t always see last year. And it’s always exciting when Elijah and Ezra (Griffin) come up (to bat) right now, too. Both are swinging the bats well.”
Photo by Lee Epps
“Tip of the hat to our defense tonight,” added Coach Strinmoen. “Field was not in great condition, but our infielders stuck with the ground balls and we made plays. Nathan and Jaxon were on the ends of one heck of a play during that game. Tough ground ball that Nathan was able to somehow get to, and Jaxon with an all-out superman stretch lying on the ground, to save the throw at first base.”
The Lions outhit Houston, 9 to 2, and took advantage of nine walks and seven Hurricane errors. The first four Spring Grove runs were all unearned. Houston junior Connor Porter absorbed the pitching loss despite not allowing any earned runs. The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with only one hit (Brandon Jahnke) but would leave the bases loaded. With only one more hit (Solum), the home team added two more runs in the second inning. With only more hit (Strinmoen), it became 4-0 before the first Hurricane base hit and run came in the top of the fourth,
Without a hit, Houston took advantage of a hit batter, a walk and a wild pitch to make the score 6-2 in the top of the fifth. The Lions added one hit (Zach Brumm) along with two walks to make it 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth before putting the game away in the sixth with three extra-base hits, a walk and two errors.
Spring Grove has now won all 10 games against Houston since the Lions reinstated baseball as a stand-alone program in 2016. It was the third loss of the seson for the Hurricanes (1-3, 1-2 SEC) after ending a 35-game losing streak with their road win at Schaeffer Academy. Houston won the late-night B-team game at Spring Grove, 5-2
——————————————
SG 12, Houston 2 (6 innings)
Hou 000 110 = 2 2 7
SG 121 215 =12 9 2
LOB: SG 9, Hou 8
Stolen bases: SG 5, Hou 4
SG 9 hits (2 triples, 1 double, 6 singles) Zach Brumm 2-3, double, RBI, 3 runs; Elijah Solum 2-3, 2RBI, run, sb, sacrifice; Jaxon Strinmoen 1-1, RBI, 2 runs, 2 steals, sacrifice; Logan Brumm 1-2, triple, run, steal; Brandon Jahnke 1-3, RBI, 2 runs; Ezra Griffin 1-3, RBI, steal; Caleb Griffin 1-4, triple, RBI, run; Nathan Solberg 2 RBI, 2 sacrifices, 2 runs.
Hou 2 hits (2 singles). Morgan Rohweder 2 for 2, RBI, sb
Pitching SG: Caleb Griffin (WP) 4 innings, 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 earned run, 4 walks, 3 hit batters, 9 strikeouts; Ben Udstuen 2 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts
Pitching Houston: Connor Porter (LP) 3 innings, 3 hits, 4 runs, 0 earned runs, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts; Morgan Rohweder 2 innings, 4 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned runs, 5 walks, 2 strikeouts; Austin Swenson 1/3 inning, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned run, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
Records: SG 3-0, 3-0 SEC; Hou 1-2, 1-2 SEC)
SG LINEUP: p Caleb Griffin & Ben Udstuen, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Jaxon Strinmoen, 2b Jonah Udstuen, ss Nathan Solberg, 3b Brandon Jahnke, lf Zach Brumm, cf Elijah Solum, rf Matthew Doering, dh Logan Brumm, runner Braedon Solie.
———————————————–
Spring Grove Varsity Baseball 2022
3 wins, 0 losses (3-0 SEC)
(4:30 p.m. first pitch unless noted) * SEC game
W vs. GMLOK* 5-1
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli*7-6
04-18 Cotter/Hope Lutheran, postponed
W vs. Houston* 12-2 (6 inn.)
Fri. 04-22 Schaeffer Academy* postponed
Mon. 04-25 Wabasha-Kellogg 5 p.m.
Tues. 04-26 at Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons*
Fri. 04-29 at GMLOK* (at Spring Valley)
Sat. 04-30 Mabel-Canton
Mon. 05-02 at Southland* (at Adams)
Tues. 05-03 at Mabel-Canton*
Fri. 05-06 at Lyle/Pacelli* (at Austin)
Mon. -05-09 Martin County West 5 p.m. (at Austin, Riverland College)
Tues. 05-10 at 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)
—————————————————————–
Spring Grove B-Team Baseball 2022
0 wins, 3 losses
L vs. GMLOK 2-5
L vs. Lyle/Pacelli 2-12
L vs. Houston 2π-5