Spring Grove dropped out of a first-place tie with a 4-2 loss to visiting Southland on May 13, one day before splitting a pair of games at the 2022 Rushford-Peterson Classic. All four tournament games were run-rule blowouts, including a Spring Grove split. The Lions fell to R-P, 13-3, before taking the third-place game against Goodhue, 15-4. That was the boys’ sixth game in six days.
The morning after Southland’s big first-place showdown win at Spring Grove, the Rebels dropped down to second place with a one-run loss at Lyle/Pacelli. Title hopes remain for Spring Grove, but the Lions will now need help to gain a share of the league lead. The third-place Lions (9-5 overall, 8-3 SEC) trail both Lyle/Pacelli (10-2 SEC) and Southland (10-3 SEC) with a slim half-game lead over fourth-place Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons (8-4 SEC). The Lion B-team and both junior high squads also fell to Southland.
Southland 4, SG 2
Each team turned a double play, had two errors, five hits and two earned runs. But the Rebels also had two unearned runs; what could have been a two-run inning became a four-run frame. Southland scored all four runs in the fourth inning after Spring Grove had led 2-0. The Rebels had both of the game’s extra-base hits – a double and an RBI triple – both during that four-run eruption.
The Lions were able to overcome their first error with a first-inning double play. But with only one hit during the final four innings, Spring Grove could not come back after the second error led to a two-run deficit. There were opportunities, especially in the sixth inning when the bases were loaded with Lions after a Rebel error and two hit batters. But the threat ended with a ground out.
Spring Grove did not have to face Southland’s ace pitcher, Harrison Hanna, but Riley Jax went the distance while striking out six batters, walking two and hitting two. Jaxon Strinmoen absorbed the pitching loss with 11 strikeouts, six walks and two hit batters. But Southland could not take advantage of the charity; each Rebel who scored had reached base with a base hit. Strinmoen, to his credit, pitched his way out of every jam, created by walks and hit batters.
Caleb Griffin spearheaded the Lion offense, batting 2 for 4, driving in both SG runs and stealing three bases. For the visitors, Travis Kirtz went 2 for 4 with two runs batted in.
Combined with a previous walk-off, 4-3 win at Adams, Southland edged past Spring Grove for the second time this season. Since the Lions brought back baseball in 2016, the Rebels have now won five of the seven games versus Spring Grove.
Rushford-Peterson 13, SG 3 (6 innings)
Spring Grove scored first before the Trojans cashed in on 16 walks and two hit batters to score 13 runs with only six hits. The game ended via the 10-run rule with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Winning pitcher Justin Ruberg got 10 of the 15 outs with strikeouts and was backed up by a no-error defense.
No batter in the game had more than one hit, but Thomas Ekern blasted a three-run home run over the fence, making the score 10-3 in the fifth inning, The defensive gem for Spring Grove was the grab of a line drive in center field by Elijah Solum.
R-P improved to 8-6 before losing the championship game to state-ranked No. 1 Hayfield; Since the Lions revived their program in 2016, they have a 2-3 record versus Rushford-Peterson, including the Trojans’ 14-8 section playoff win last spring.
SG 15, Goodhue 4 (5 innings)
It was plunder on the base paths as seven Lions combined to swipe 14 bases, including three each by Logan Brumm and Zach Brumm. Nathan Solberg (3 for 3) and Solum (3 for 5) each banged out three hits, drove in two runs and stole two bases. Logan Brum batted 2 for 3 with a double and 2 runs batted in.
Solum, the first batter of the game singled and scored the first run. An inning later, the Lions sent 13 batters to the plate while amassing nine more runs – their highest-scoring inning of the season – while facing three Goodhue hurlers.
Lion freshman Ben Udstuen pitched all five innings, striking out three and walking two. The Wildcats trailed 13-1 before cramming three of their four runs along with four of their five hits into one inning.
It was the first baseball game played between Goodhue and Spring Grove. This season, it was only the third game for Class A Goodhue against Class A competition. As a member of the HVL, the winless Wildcats (0-17) have played their other 14 games versus larger Class AA and AAA opponents.
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Sou 4, SG 2
Sou 000 400 0 = 4 5 2
SG 101 000 0 = 2 5 2
LOB: SG 9, Sou 10
Stolen bases: SG 4, Sou
SG 5 hits (5 singles): Elijah Solum 1 for 4, steal; Ezra Griffin 1 for 4, run; Jaxon Strinmoen 1 for 4, run, steal; Caleb Griffin 2 for 4, 2 RBI, 3 steals
Sou 5 hits: (triple, double, 3 singles)
Pitching SG: Jaxon Strinmoen (loss) 4 innings, 5 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, 6 strikeouts;’ Caleb Griffin 3 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Pitching: Riley Jax (win) 7 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts, 2 hit batters
SG LINEUP: p Strinmoen, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Ben Udstuen, 2b Nathan Solberg, ss Caleb Griffin, 3b Brandon Jahnke, lf Zach Brumm, cf Elijah Solum, rf Tysen Grinde, dh Logan Brumm, runner Matthew Doering
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R-P 13, SG 3
SG 012 000 = 3 5 2
R-P 031 153 =13 6 0
LOB: SG 3, R-P 7
Stolen bases: SG 2, R-P 4
SG 5 hits (5 singles): Caleb Griffin 1 for 2, RBI, run; Brandon Jahnke 1 for 2, RBI; Nathan Solberg 1 for 2, run; Ezra Griffin 1 for 3; Jaxon Strinmoen 1 for 3;
R-P 6 hits (home run, double, 4 singles)
Pitching SG: Ty Cleven (loss) 2 2/3 innings, 0 hits, 4 runs, 4 earned runs, 8 walks, 1 hit batter, 4 strikeouts; Jonah Udstuen 2 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned runs, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts; Ezra Griffin 2/3 inning, 1 hit, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, 4 walks, 0 strikeouts
Pitching R-P: Justin Ruberg 6 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
SG LINEUP: p TY Cleven, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Jaxon Strinmoen, 2b Ben Udstuen, ss Nathan Solberg, 3b Brandon Jahnke, lf Caleb Griffin, cf Elijah Solum, rf Matthew Doering, dh Logan Brumm & Dane Edgington
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SG 15, Goodhue 4
SG 190 32 =15 11 3
GHS 000 30 = 4 5 4
LOB: SG 7, GHS 4
Stolen bases: SG 14, GHS 2
SG 11 hits (double, 13 singles): Nathan Solberg 3 for 3, 2 RBI, 3 runs, 2 steals; Elijah Solum 3 for 5, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 2 steals; Logan Brumm 2 for 3, double, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 3 steals; Jaxon Strinmoen 1 for 3, RBI, run, sacrifice fly; Caleb Griffin 1 for 3, run, steal; Ezra Griffin 1 for 4, 2 RBI’ Caleb Ranzenberger run
GHS 5 hits (double, 4 singles)
Pitching SG: Ben Udstuen 5 innings, 5 hits, 4 runs, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
Pitching GHS: 5 innings, 11 hits, 15 runs, 14 earned runs, 7 walks, 4 strikeouts, 1 hit batter
SG LINEUP: p Ben Udstuen, c Ezra Griffin, 1b Jaxon Strinmoen, 2b Jonah Udstuen, ss Nathan Solberg, 3b Brandon Jahnke, lf Zach Brumm, cf Elijah Solum, rf Caleb Griffin, dh Logan Brumm, runner Caleb Ranzenberger
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Southeast Conference
Lyle/Pacelli 10-2 SEC, 12-4 season
Southland 10-3 SEC, 11-5 season
Spring Grove 8-3 SEC, 9-5 season
AC/GE 8-4 SEC, 9-8 season
GMLOK 5-6 SEC, 5-9 season
Mabel-Canton 3-8 SEC, 4-11 season
Houston 3-9 SEC, 3-13 season
Schaeffer Aca. 0-12 SEC, 0-17 season
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Spring Grove Varsity Baseball 2022
9 wins, 5 losses (8-3 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.)
Mon. 04-25 Wabasha-Kellogg 5 p.m. postponed
W at Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons* 21-10
L at Southland* 3-4
W at Mabel-Canton* 3-2
W at GMLOK*16-8
L at Lyle/Pacelli*4-5
L vs. Martin County West 7-8
W at Houston* 10-2
W vs. Mabel-Canton* 3-2
L vs. Southland*2-4
L at Rushford-Peterson 3-13
W vs. Goodhue 15-4
Tues. 05-17 at Schaeffer Academy (Rochester)*double header
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
3 wins, 10 losses
L vs. GMLOK 2-5
L vs. Lyle/Pacelli 2-12
L vs. Houston 2-5
L at Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 0-2
L at Southland 0-5
W at Mabel-Canton 5-2
L at GMLOK 0-10
L at Lyle/Pacelli 1-8
W at GMLOK 7-6
L vs. GMLOK 4-6
W at Houston 13-9
L vs. Mabel-Canton 2-5
L vs. Southland 3-12
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Junior high First Game
4 wins, 6 losses
L vs. Mabel-Canton 8-13
W vs. GMLOK 10-0
W vs. Houston 5-3
W vs. GMLOK 9-2
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 9-3
L vs. Caledonia 2-7
L vs. Southland 0-16
L vs. Houston 1-7
L vs. Mabel-Canton 6-8 ‘
L to Southland 0-15
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Junior high Second Game
1 win, 7 losses, 1 tie
W vs. Mabel-Canton 6-1
T vs. GMLOK 9-9
L vs. Houston 1-11
L vs. GMLOK 1-2
L vs. Lyle/Pacelli 5-9
L vs. Caledonia
L vs. Southland 3-17
L vs. Houston 3-16
L vs. Southland 0-12
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