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Semifinal roundup: Stingy Mahtomedi throws blanks again, plus the longest game in state tournament history

By Star Tribune, 06/16/21, 10:45PM CDT

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The Zephyrs will play Grand Rapids for the Class 3A championship. In 2A, it's Belle Plaine vs. Glencoe-Silver Lake while Hayfield and New York Mills play in Class 1A.

Mahtomedi used its second stellar pitching performance in two days to advance to the Class 3A championship game.

The Zephyrs defeated Sartell 7-0 in the semifinals Wednesday at the Mini Met in Jordan, behind Tony Neubeck’s shutout.

Neubeck, a senior, pitched a five-hitter with eight strikeouts. Neubeck’s shutout followed a four-hit shutout by Tony Loughlin in the Zephyrs’ 2-0 victory over Sauk Rapids-Rice in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Neubeck had three hits and drove in both runs to support Loughlin in the victory.

Mahtomedi junior Ethan Loss had a double and triple and an RBI. Senior Wyatt Miller had two hits.

The Zephyrs (19-5) won the 3A title in 2018 and were the runners-up in 2016.

Grand Rapids 4, St. Thomas Academy 3: The Thunderhawks held on to edge the Cadets. Andrew Sundberg had a two-run single in the fifth inning to give Grand Rapids (19-7) a 4-1 lead. The Cadets (22-4) scored twice in the sixth to pull within one and threatened with two baserunners in the bottom of the seventh. But Grand Rapids starter Myles Gunderson pitched out of the jam to complete the victory. Grand Rapids advanced to the 3A championship game for the first time since 2005.

Class 2A
Glencoe-Silver Lake 13, Plainview-Elgin-Millville 3: Thirteen isn’t unlucky for the Panthers. That’s their run total in each of their two state tournament victories.
Glencoe-Silver Lake (25-3) got plenty of production throughout its lineup in defeating the Bulldogs in a game called after six innings because of the 10-run rule at Putz Field in St. Cloud.

Carter Rushmeier had two hits and three RBI while No. 8 hitter Blake Mickolichek and winning pitcher Zachary Voelz each knocked in two runs. Leadoff hitter Jacob Christianson scored three times and Spencer Lemke, No. 9 hitter Mitchell Brenhaug and Voelz each scored twice.

The Panthers scored four times in the top of the first inning and added six runs in the third to build a quick 10-0 lead.

Belle Plaine 4, Aitkin 2: The Tigers scored three runs in the fifth inning to break a one-all tie and defeat the Gobblers.

Joey Burgemeister gave Belle Plaine (20-4) the lead for good with a two-run double. Luke Luskey followed with a triple.

The Tigers scored first with an RBI double by Jackson Kruger to score Jake Brandenburg in the top of the fourth. The Gobblers answered in the bottom of the inning when Owen Miller scored on a throwing error.

Logan Olson singled to drive in pinch runner Zak MacDonald to get Aitkin (22-6) within two in the final inning. The Gobblers had the tying run on second base, but Hoffman recorded his sixth strikeout of the game to strand the runners.

Class 1A
Hayfield 16, Springfield 0: The Vikings scored 16 runs for the second consecutive day in shutting out the Tigers in a game called after five innings because of the 10-run rule at Faber Field in St. Cloud.

Hayfield (25-0) scored seven runs in each of the third and fourth innings. The Vikings had seven of the first eight batters in each inning reach base safely and score.

Erik Bungum hit a two-out, two-run home run in the second inning to open the scoring. He went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and four RBI.

Winning pitcher Joey Tempel threw a complete game two-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk.

New York Mills 9, Randolph 8 (15 inn.): Jace Randolph’s single with one out in the bottom of the 15th scored Brayden Ehnert, who had led off with a double, to lift the Eagles over the previously unbeaten Rockets.

Randolph’s bases-loaded double in the bottom of the 14th scored three runs and tied the score 8-8 after the Rockets had scored four runs in the top of the 14th.

The game was tied 1-1 after seven innings. The Rockets scored three runs in the 12th on Nathan Weckop’s home run. The Eagles responded with three unearned runs in the bottom of the 12th.

The 15-inning game was the longest in state tournament history.

JOEL RIPPEL, RON HAGGSTROM, JOE GUNTHER

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