A few base hits, many walks and several enemy errors resulted in Spring Grove’s 15-4 season-opening baseball win against Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Kingsland in a run-rule, five-inning affair at Spring Valley on April 13.
Photo by Lee Epps
Spring Grove scored 15 runs on only six hits, but there were not all that many good pitches to hit. So, the Lions took advantage of a dozen free passes (11 walks, 1 hit batter) in five innings, and the Bulldogs extended the charity with seven errors.
It was a frustrating start for the visiting Lions, who stranded runners on third base and second base in a scoreless, hitless top of the first inning. And then the first two GMLOK batters had base hits and scored to take a 2-0 lead. But Spring Grove pitcher Brandon Jahnke did not give up another hit nor another run. The last two GMLOK runs came late after Jahnke had left the mound. The sophomore hurler came back in to retire the final two batters to finish with six strikeouts and three walks.
That early Bulldog lead would be short-lived. Spring Grove batters continued to draw walks and benefit from errors while hits from Zach Brumm and Caleb Griffin (RBI) helped send a half-dozen Lions across the plate for a 6-0 lead after an inning and a half. And then while Jahnke was blanking Bulldog batters, the Lions erupted for eight more runs in the next inning to lead, 14-2.
The six Spring Grove hits came from six different batters, including additional singles from Ezra Griffin and Ben Udstuen (RBI) plus doubles from Nathan Solberg (RBI) and Elijah Solum (2 RBI). After being hit by a pitch and walking three times, Solum finally saw a good pitch and clobbered a two-out blast over the head of the left fielder, extending the lead to 15-2 in the top of the fifth.
It was the Lions’ third straight win versus GMLOK. Since the Bulldogs joined the conference in 2019, Spring Grove now leads the series, 4-3. The B-team game ended in a 3-3 tie. Meanwhile, the junior high teams split a pair of games at Spring Grove.
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SG 15, GMLOK 4
SG 068–01 = 15-6-3
GM 200–02 = 4–2–7
LOB: SG 8, GMLOK 4
Stolen bases: SG
SG 6 hits: 2 doubles, 4 singles. Elijah Solum 1-1, dbl, 2 RBI, 1 run, 4 sb; Nathan Solberg 1-1, dbl, 1 RBI, 2 runs; Ben Udstuen 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 sb; Zach Brumm 1-3, 2 runs; Caleb Griffin 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 run; Ezra Griffin 1-3
GMLOK 2 hits: 1 double, 1 single
Pitching SG: 5 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 6 W, 4K
(WP) Brandon Jahnke 4.2 IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 3 W, 4 K
Caleb Griffin 0.1 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 W, 0K
Pitching GMLOK: 5 IP, 6 H, 15 R, 8 ER, 11 W, 6 K. (LP- Swenson)
Records: SG 1-0 (1-0 SEC); GMLOK 0-3 (0-2 SEC)
SG LINEUP: p Brandon Jahnke, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Jaxon Strinmoen, 2b Ben Udstuen, ss, Nathan Solberg, 3b Caleb Griffin, lf Zach Brumm, cf Elijah Solum, rf Braedon Solie, dh Logan Brumm, cr Bryce Berns, cr Jacob Solum
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Spring Grove Baseball 2023 (SEC games in bold)
>>>>1-0 (1-0 SEC)
W at GMLOK 15-4
Fri. 4-14 Houston
Mon. 4-17 Wabasha-Kellogg
Tues.4-18 at Southland
Fri. 4- 21 (at Austin) Blooming Prairie
Mon. 4-24 Rushford-Peterson
Tues. 4-25 Glenville-Emmons/Alden-Conger
Fri. 4-28 GMLOK
Sat. 4-29 (at Minneapolis) Martin County West
Mon. 5-01 at Lyle/Pacelli (Austin)
Tues. 5-02 Mabel-Canton
Thur. 5-04 at Mabel-Canton
Fri. 5-05 Lyle/Pacelli
Tues. 5-09 at Houston
Fri. 5-12 Southland
Sat. 5-13 at Rushford Invitational
10 a.m. vs. Hayfield
noon vs. Goodhue
Fri. 5-19 Fillmore Central/Lanesboro
Mon. 5-22 at Glenville-Emmons/Alden-Conger
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B-Team Baseball
>>0 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie
L at Caledonia 4-14
T at GMLOK 3-3
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B-Team Baseball
>>1 win, 3 losses
L vs. Mabel-Canton
L vs. Mabel-Canton
L vs. GMLOK
W vs. GMLOK