The Pierz Bulldogs and Buckman Billygoats posted opening round victories in the Victory League East Divisional Playoffs Friday and Saturday, July 12-13.
The three-seeded Bulldogs topped the second-seeded Pierz Lakers 10-8 in 13 innings Friday and number one seed Buckman overpowered the fourth-seeded Royalton Riverdogs 11-0 in seven innings Saturday. Buckman and the Bulldogs faced off Sunday, July 14 in the winners bracket while the Lakers and Royalton met in the losers bracket in a must win game for both teams in the double elimination tournament.
With only three teams playing the North Division, the two-seeded Nisswa Lightning crushed three-seeded Aitkin Steam 26-1 Saturday in the first game of a best of three series. Game two was in Aitkin, Sunday and the series winner will move on to play the top-seeded Fort Ripley Rebels.
In the West and South, Upsala, Randall, Avon and St. Stephen advanced in the winners brackets with victories on Saturday. Upsala beat Flensburg 7-3 and Randall defeated Swanville 12-2 in the West. Avon sent Opole to the losers bracket with a 10-1 win and St. Stephen shutout Freeport 10-0 in the South. Second round games in the winners and elimination brackets were played Sunday.
Bulldogs 10, Lakers 8
PIERZ -- Peter Schommer singled in the ultimately winning run in the top of the 13th inning for the Pierz Bulldogs in a 10-8 win over the Pierz Lakers Friday, July 12 in the opening game of the East Division playoffs.
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Schommer’s hit came with one out, the bases loaded and the Laker infield drawn in for a chance at a double play. Chuck Boser followed with another single for an insurance run and the final score.
The Bulldogs never trailed in the game and drew first blood with a two-run single by Austin Dickmann in the top of the first.
The Lakers countered with a run in the bottom of the first before ending the inning with the bases full. They tied the game 2-2 in the third on a Brad Meyer sacrifice fly.
The Bulldogs plated three more runs in the fourth on a two-run double by Craig Luberts and Dylan Kummet RBI single. The Lakers came right back in the bottom of the inning scoring twice on a bases-loaded walk to Paul Herman and sacrifice fly by Preston Rocheleau.
In the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs stretched their lead to 8-4 with their second straight three-run inning. Austin Dickmann singled in a run and Brandon Dickmann crushed a two-run double to deep center.
The Lakers got three runs back in the seventh on a Meyer single, fielder’s choice and Paul Herman pinch hit. They sent the game into extra innings when Chad Weiss led off the eighth with a double and scored on a two-out single by Reggie Litke.
Kummet and Austin Dickmann led the Bulldogs with three hits apiece. Brandon Dickmann finished 2-3 with a pair of doubles while Boser and Luberts also had two hits each.
Jonah Prokott pitched the final 6 2/3 innings to earn the win. He struck out five, walked two and allowed one run on seven hits.
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Luke Girtz went 4-7 for the Lakers while Herman and Reese Kapsner were both 3-6. Weiss, Meyer, and Litke also had multiple hits.
Bulldogs 10 14 2
Lakers 8 18 4
WP: Jonah Prokott. LP: Reggie Litke. 2B: Bull-Dylan Kummet, Brandon Dickmann 2; Lake-Chad Weiss.
Buckman 11, Royalton 0
BUCKMAN -- Noah Boser went 4-4 with a pair of home runs, a double and drove in six runs for top-seeded Buckman Billygoats who needed just seven innings to dispatch the four-seeded Royalton Riverdogs 11-0 in the other opening round game of the East Division playoffs Saturday, July 13.
Joe Kahl finished 3-4 with a double and three RBIs for the Billygoats. Also ripping doubles were Lane Girtz, Andrew Rueckert and Jack Suska.
Shawn Lanners pitched six shutout innings to earn then win. He struck out seven, walked two and allowed three hits. Aaron Weber completed the shutout as he struck out two in the final hitless inning.
Royalton 0 3 2
Buckman 11 13 0
WP: Shawn Lanners. LP: Hunter Young. 2B: B-Lane Girtz, Joe Kahl, Andrew Rueckert, Noah Boser, Jack Suska. HR: B-Boser 2.
Nisswa 26, Aitkin 1
NISSWA -- The Nisswa Lighting tallied 13 runs in the first inning and cruised to a 26-1 win in seven innings over the Aitkin Steam Saturday night in game one of the best three series in the North Division playoffs.
Jeremiah Piepkorn, Jason Roepke, Sam Peterson and Adam Hardy belted homers for Nisswa.
Roepke pitched five innings and picked up the win.
