Eagles soar past Browerville

By MN Baseball Hub, 06/15/12, 10:00AM CDT

Lac qui Parle Valley uses timely hitting, clutch pitching to reach Class 1A title game

By Ron Haggstrom

rhaggstrom@startribune.com

Lac qui Parle Valley and Browerville both knew runs would be hard to come by after the quarterfinals. They both advanced with one-run victories — Lac qui Parle Valley defeated Ely 2-1 and Browerville shut out Kenyon-Wanamingo 1-0.

When Eagles junior catcher Preston Kraft delivered a two-out, two-run single in the top of the third inning, it was as if a scoring frenzy had erupted. He was quickly high-fived by all of his teammates between innings.

“I knew he (Mitch Heid) was going to throw a curveball because that’s all he was throwing me,” Kraft said. “I was able to get the bat head on it, and hit it good.”

Kraft’s first hit of tournament capped a three-run inning, and propelled the Eagles (18-9) into the championship in their first state tournament trip. He was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the seventh.

Senior Sam Haas plated the first run in the third with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

The Tigers (23-4) scored their lone run on a two-out RBI double by Kyle Petermeier in the fourth.

Junior right-hander Ben Morken threw a five-hitter for the Eagles. He struck out five and walked two while throwing 111 pitches in going the distance.”

“They hit the ball pretty hard a few times, but couldn’t make solid contact with my curveball,” Morken said. “I just tried to hold them after we got up 3-0. After Preston’s hit, I was really jacked.”

He wasn’t alone. Their fans were just as excited as the players.

“This is awesome,” Kraft said. “Nobody expected us to be going to Target Field.”

Game Recap

Colby Siegert went 2-for-4, Preston Kraft drove in three runs and Ben Morken tossed a five-hitter as Lac qui Parle Valley reached the state Class 1A championship game with a 4-1 victory over Browerville on Friday, June 15, at Athletic Park in Chaska.

The Eagles (18-9) advance to play either Blackduck or St. Agnes at 12 p.m. on Monday at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Browerville plays either Blackduck or St. Agnes in the third-place game on at 5 p.m. on Friday at Athletic Field.

Kraft’s linedrive bullet to left field drove in two runs to highlight the Lac qui Parle Valley’s three-run third inning.

That was all the scoring Morken would need, as he struck out five and walked two en route to the victory. He entered the state tournament with a 4-3 record and 4.33 ERA.

Kyle Petermeier went 2-for-3 and drove in a run for Browerville (23-4), which stranded two runners in the fourth and fifth innings.

Browerville’s Mitch Heid went the distance, allowing six hits while striking out seven and walking four.

-- Loren Nelson, MN Baseball Hub staff

Statistics, Summary

Three Stars

1. Preston Kraft, La qui Parle Valley

The junior catcher belted a rocket to left field to drive in two runs in the top of the third and was drilled in the elbow by a pitch in the top of the seventh with the bases loaded as the Eagles picked up another run. Kraft’s only miscue was trying to stretch his third-inning single into a double, as he was gunned down at second base.

2. Ben Morken, La qui Parle Valley

The junior allowed five hits and worked out of trouble in the fourth and fifth innings, when Browerville twice stranded two runners. Morken struck out five and walked two while throwing 111 pitches.

3. Kyle Petermeier, Browerville

The junior drove in the Tigers’ lone run in the fourth inning with a double, one of his two hits.

-- Loren Nelson, MN Baseball Hub staff

MN Baseball Hub