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Class 2A: Fairmont shuts out Aitkin

By JIM PAULSEN, Star Tribune , 06/12/14, 11:45AM CDT

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Kasson-Mantorville, Glencoe-Silver Lake and St. Cloud Cathedral also advanced

Fairmont batters Aitkin ace in 7-0 victory

Taking the mound for Aitkin in the Gobblers’ first state tournament appearance, junior pitcher Jake Lynn wasn’t sure what to expect.

Fairmont answered that question with emphasis. With a roster full of athletes accustomed to playing in state tournaments -- whether it be football, basketball or baseball -- the Cardinals knocked Lynn around in a way he had never seen en route to a 7-0 victory.

“That’s the best any team has hit me,”said the 6-4, 215-pound Lynn, an UnderArmour High School All-America selection. “They can really hit.”

Fairmont leaned on its two big names, junior pitcher Spencer Chirpich and senior shortstop Luke Becker. Chirpich was in control from the outset, throwing first-pitch strikes with regularity. He held the Gobblers to just one his through five innings and  finished with a four-hit shutout, walking one and striking out nine.

“I felt really good, especially early,” Chirpich said. “In the latter innings, my arm got a little tired but the adrenaline kicked in and I got through it.”

As a freshman two years ago, Chirpich started the Cardinals’ last state tournament victory, a 3-2 quarterfinals victory over Roseau in 2012. He said Thursday’s game brought back memories.

“I did feel a little bit of déjà vu,” he said. “It felt familiar.”

Becker, who has signed to play with North Iowa Area Community College with an eye on a Division I scholarship, went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI. He also made a highlight-reel diving stab of a ball headed to centerfield that was easily the best defensive play of the Class 2A quarterfinal games.

“That was probably my best play of the season,” Becker said. “I closed my eyes when I dove and it found my glove.”

The victory was the 24th in a row for Fairmont (24-1) since losing its season-opener to New Ulm. The 25th, Becker said, is the one they really want.

“We’ve been here before and haven’t been able to get the second one,” he said, referring to semifinals losses in 2011 and 2012. “We’re a game away from Target Field. That’s the one we want.”

Aitkin fell to 22-5 and will play Hawley in Friday’s consolation semifinals.


Bunt keys Kasson-Mantorville victory over Hawley

Kasson-Mantorville had been there before. Hawley had not. In the end, that mattered most.

The KoMets (22-4), the defending Class 2A state champs, executed a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the sixth inning, leading to the game-winning runs in a 5-3 quarterfinals victory.

With two on and no outs and the score tied 3-3, Kasson-Mantorville outfielder Alec Ehlke put down a perfect bunt toward first base. The throw glanced off the glove of the second baseman, who was covering first base. Pinch-runner Aaron Bergh scored on the misplay. Riley Knoepke followed with an RBI single to account for the game’s final run.

“Getting that bunt down was huge,” Kasson-Mantorville coach Broc Threinen said. “Alec has been great in our short game all year.”

Hawley (18-7) had the chance to take the lead in the top of the sixth in a similar circumstance, but failed to get the sacrifice bunt down. Threinen credited the carry-over of his team's 2013 experience as the difference.

“This team understands what needs to be done,” he said. “They know that you just have to go out and be comfortable with your game.”

Kasson-Mantorville’s victory overshadowed a fine performance from Hawley pitcher Parker Hanson, who pitched a complete game. He gave up five runs – three earned – and seven hits, striking out two. Born without a left hand, Hanson pitches with his right hand while holding the glove in the crook of his left arm, then switches the glove to his right. When batting, Hanson uses a prosthetic left hand. 

“That’s something, isn’t it?” Threinen said. “What a player.”

For Hanson, it was just another day at the ball park, albeit a bit less enjoyable than most.

“We had our chances,” he said. “We made a couple of errors and that cost us. They were here last year and had the experience and the success.”

Hanson said playing without a left hand has become second nature to him, so much so that it rarely crosses his mind.

“I’ve been swinging a bat since I was two,” he said. “It’s all just reaction to me now. I don’t think about it too much.” 

NOTE: To see game statistics, click on "FINAL" under the line score for the game below.


Glencoe-Silver Lake does enough to get by Delano

According to Glencoe-Silver Lake coach Dean Schwirtz, the Panthers don’t excel at anything in particular.

“We do just enough to win,” Schwirtz said.

Which pretty much sums up their 4-3 victory over Wright County Conference rival Delano in the Class 2A quarterfinals.

Pitcher Cole Petersen battled through seven innings, walking six, but coming up with enough big pitches to keep Delano at bey.

“That was nowhere near his best, but he still did enough to get us through,” Schwirtz said. “You should see him when he’s on.”

Peterson said the blustery conditions made his best pitch pedestrian, so he relied on guile, grit and his teammates.

“The wind coming right at me made it tough to throw my four-seam [fastball],” Peterson said. “So I had to do a better job of spotting my pitches and leaning on my defense.”

The Panthers’ hitters carried that opportunistic approach to the plate. They turned six hits and four walks from Delano pitcher Hunter Hart into just enough offense to advance to the semifinals.

Centerfielder Carter Pinske had two hits and the game’s biggest blow, a two-run double in the second inning. First-baseman Nolan Lepel went 3-for-3 with an RBI. The only other Glencoe-Silver Lake hit belonged to Peterson.

Delano’s Hunter Hart pitched a complete game for the Tigers, walking four and striking out five. He also drove in all three runs for the Tigers. Teammate Toby Hanson, one of the metro’s most feared hitters with 13 home runs, was held mostly in check, collecting just one double.

“We just couldn’t get that big hit we needed,” said Hanson. “It’s frustrating, but that’s baseball.”

NOTE: To see game statistics, click on "FINAL" under the line score for the game below.


Fasching pitches St. Cloud Cathedral past Blake

As a first-time entrant, Blake had plenty of obstacles to overcome en route to the Class 2A state tournament. Defeating St. Cloud Cathedral, the most successful Class 2A program in the state, on its home field turned out to be one too many.

Cathedral, making its 18th tournament appearance and seeking its eighth championship, rode a masterful pitching performance by senior Jeff Fasching to defeat Blake 5-1.

Fasching, the son of St. John’s University football coach Gary Fasching, allowed three hits and one run while striking out 11, improving his record to 9-0 on the season. He hasn’t lost a game since his sophomore season.

“Every time he’s out there, our team feels like they have a great chance to win,” Cathedral coach Bob Karn said.

Brady Yoerg and Tom Imholte had two hits apiece for Cathedral (25-1). Blake (19-7) was plagued by mistakes, including four errors, and managed just six base-runners.

“You’re not going to win many games if you only get one run,” Blake coach George Blackwell said. “Their pitcher threw a great game. He is a three-pitch pitcher and he had great command.”

Blake sophomore lefthander Eric Stolt pitched a complete game, giving up eight hits and three earned runs, and had one of the Bears' three hits.

Blake took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, turning a Charlie Levitt infield hit, a wild pitch and a pair of outs into a run.

“We’re a small ball team,” senior catcher Rob Dworsky said. “You saw that on the first run. But their pitcher was hitting his spots. He was tough.

The Crusaders’ bats, silenced by Stolt in the first two innings, came alive on their second time through the order. They scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third innings, thanks largely to triples by Yoerg and Fasching. Cathedral added to the lead with single runs on the fifth and sixth innings, but with Fasching baffling the Blake hitters, those runs were nice but unnecessary.

“It was a nice way to start the day, being able to sleep in our own beds and have mom cook you breakfast,” said Karn, whose state-record career victory total is now at 709. “We knew Blake would be a good team. They come out of a really tough section. But we’ve got a group of senior leaders who know how to be ready for games like this. We’re a team that does pretty much everything well.”

Despite the loss, Blackwell felt his team acquitted itself well in its first state tournament appearance.

“We can play at a high level,” he said. “We’re going to come back here tomorrow and prove it.”

NOTE: To see game statistics, click on "FINAL" under the line score for the game below.

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