PIERZ-Aaron Klein went 4-for-5 from the No. 9 spot in the batting order, including a game-tying 2-out RBI in the seventh inning, and the West No. 5 Pillager Huskies knocked off the East No. 1 Hinckley-Finlayson Jaguars 12-11 in the Section 5-1A winners' bracket game Monday.
It was the Huskies' sixth win in a row and maybe their most dramatic victory of the season.
With the game tied 2-2, Pillager scored five runs in the top of the fifth, only to see the Jaguars, who entered the game 13-6 and ranked 18th in Class 1A, rally with four runs in their half of the inning. The Jaguars added a run in the bottom of the sixth to go up 8-7.
Klein's clutch 2-out hit scored Sam Jensen and pushed the game into extra innings where the Huskies scored four runs in the top of the eighth, with the key hit coming on a Josh Dosh 2-run double.
Ridge Hunstad came on in relief of Dosh in the bottom of the fifth. He pitched into the bottom of the eighth where the Jaguars rallied with three runs and loaded the bases with one out.
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Doss re-entered the game as the pitcher and he induced a fly ball to right fielder Bo Kruchten who made the catch and threw to second base to double up the runner and give the Huskies the victory.
Pillager plays for the section championship at 5 p.m. Thursday at Pierz needing to win one more game to advance to the first state tournament in program history.
Pillager 12 19 3
Hinckley-Finlayson 11 17 3
8 innings
WP: Ridge Hunstad. LP: Adam Bridenstine. 2B: P-Braeden Wangsness, Bo Kruchten, Josh Doss 2, Sam Jensen. Overall: P 14-10. Next: West No. 5 Pillager vs. East No. 1 Hinckley-Finlayson/West No. 1 Walker-Hackensack-Akeley/East No. 4 Isle winner in Section championship game at Pierz 5 p.m. Thursday; second game, if necessary, 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Foley 9, Pierz 1
ST. CLOUD-Luke Girtz cracked two doubles and scored Pierz's only run as the East No. 1 Pioneers were defeated 9-1 by the West No. 2 Foley Falcons in the Section 6-2A winners' bracket Monday at Putz Field.
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Matt Tautges, the first of four Pierz pitchers, took the loss. In three innings, he yielded eight hits and five runs (3 earned) with two walks and four strikeouts.
The Pioneers, ranked third in Class 2A, had won 12 games in a row. They beat Foley 2-1 in the season opener.
Three Falcon pitchers limited Pierz to five hits. Foley, 17-7 which has won seven in a row, is ranked 16th in 2A.
Foley 012 210 3-9 12 1
Pierz 001 000 0-1 5 2
WP: Alec Dietl. LP: Matt Tautges. 2B: P-Luke Girtz 2, Matt Kummet. Overall: P 21-2. Next: East No. 1 Pierz vs. Milaca/Melrose/Sauk Centre winner in Section 6-2A loser's bracket at Putz Field, St. Cloud, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
