Mahtomedi accomplished a school first, winning a quarterfinal game in the state tournament. It did so with a little help from New Ulm.
The Zephyrs scored eight runs in the third inning, benefitting from two Eagle errors and two hit batters, en route to a 13-3 victory in the first round of the Class 3A tournament Thursday at Siebert Field. The game was called in fifth inning due to the 10-run rule. The Zephyrs lost in their previous two state tournament quarterfinal appearances in 2014 and 2015.
“Getting beat in the first round the last two years was kind of rough,” said Mahtomedi senior shortstop Trevor Moses, who had two doubles with two RBI and one run scored. “This feels amazing.”
New Ulm (16-9) committed back-to-back errors in the bottom of the third after the first batter walked and the next one was hit by a pitch. Mitch Nordin and Joe Rock followed with run-scoring singles before Charlie Bartholomew delivered a two-run single. Moses capped the big inning with a two-run double off the left-field fence.
“We all locked in on our pitches, and regained our composure,” Moses said. He added his second double in the fifth when Mahtomedi plated its final three runs, two scoring on Kyle Hinseth’s triple.
The Eagles took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of third with single runs in each of the first three innings. Leadoff hitter Cooper Yackley scored the first run and singled home the second. The final run scored on Brandon Mehlhop’s single off the pitcher.
Mahtomedi (20-5) scored its first run when Kyle Hinseth scored on John Peterson’s triple to right-center field. Hinseth doubled down the right-field line with one out.
Bartholomew went 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Zephyrs' 12-hit attack. They had four other players with two hits and two RBI.
“When you’re a senior it makes it even more special,” Peterson said. “This was a team effort.”
