Amateur Baseball: Fort Ripley locks in state bid

AVON - The Buckman Billygoats advanced to the Region 8C championship game next Sunday in Avon with a 6-3 victory over the Avon Lakers Saturday.

In the loser's bracket Saturday, the Fort Ripley Rebels assured themselves of the final Region 8 spot in the upcoming Class C State Tournament with a 9-1 win over the Nisswa Lightning and the Sobieski Skis earned a trip back to the state tournament with a 4-1 victory over the St. Stephen Skis.

Buckman 6, Avon 3

AVON - Jeremy Monson struck out five, walked one to pitch Buckman to a 6-3 victory over Avon in the Region 8C tournament Saturday.

Monson gave up eight hits, but retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced. He blanked Avon's Nos. 5-9 batters.

Buckman took an early 3-0 lead in the first on a two-run double by Aaron Weber and sacrifice fly by Mark Kahl.

The Billygoats added two more runs in the fifth on a wild pitch and Joe Kahl's squeeze bunt that scored Ben Boser. They plated their final run on a two-out error in the seventh.

Weber went 2-4 with a pair of doubles and Boser was 2-4 with a double.

Buckman 6 8 1

Avon 3 8 3

WP: Jeremy Monson. LP: Will Kleinschmidt. 2B: B-Ben Boser, Aaron Weber 2;

A-Caleb Curry.

Fort Ripley 9, Nisswa 1

AVON - Brett Kramer went 3-4 with a pair of homers, a triple, five RBIs and four runs for the Fort Ripley Rebels, who eliminated the Nisswa Lightning 9-1 in the loser's bracket of the Region 8C tournament Saturday.

Kramer belted a solo homer in the first and then smashed a grand slam in the third for a 5-0 lead. That was more than winning pitcher Jack Hegarty would need on his way to another complete-game win with a seven strikeout, four hit performance.

Nick Jelacie added a solo home run and finished 2-5 for the Rebels. Logan Kalis also contributed a pair of hits.

Nate DeChaine led off the fourth with a solo blast for Nisswa's only run.

Nisswa 1 4 2

Fort Ripley 9 9 0

WP: Jack Hegarty. LP: Scott Sand. 3B: FR-Brett Kramer. HR: FR-Kramer 2,

Nick Jelacie; N-Nate DeChaine.

Sobieski 4, St. Stephen 1

AVON - Tyler Jendro struck out 11 in a complete-game effort and delivered a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the eighth for the Sobieski Skis, who eliminated the St. Stephen Steves 4-1 in the loser's bracket of the Region 8C tournament Saturday.

Scott Litchy delivered a pair of hits, an intentional walk, a stolen base and scored a run as he returned to the Skis after being named Co-MVP of a collegiate wood bat league in Northern California this summer. Thomas Miller finished 2-4 with a double.

St. Stephen 1 9 1

Sobieski 4 6 4

WP: Tyler Jendro. LP: Nick Krippner. 2N: S-Thomas Miller; SS-Blake

Guggenberger, Ben Omann.