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Shakopee rallies to defeat Lakeville North

By Kassondra Burtis, SportsEngine, 05/05/22, 6:00PM CDT

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John Sullivan kept the Sabres at bay on the mound while also tallying two RBIs in the Sabers' win.

Pitcher John Sullivan started his first game of the season, pitching four innings for Shakopee. Sullivan added to the Sabers' offense as well, generating a pair of RBIs from the top of the order.  Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

Pitcher John Sullivan started his first game of the season, pitching four innings for Shakopee. Sullivan added to the Sabers' offense as well, generating a pair of RBI's from the top of the order. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

When a team is struggling, sometimes it needs a small shakeup to turn momentum around.  Starting nearly all of the players at new positions counts.

After losing its last four games and playing five games in six days this week, Shakopee (5-6) needed a change. Seven of the nine players on the field played new positions tonight. Tom Schleper's plan seems to have worked, as the Sabers scored four of their six innings at the plate and rallied from a four-run deficit to defeat Lakeville North 9-5 on Thursday in Shakopee.

Shakopee's Jaden Case gets hit by a pitch. The Saber's score 9 unanswered runs to beat South Suburban Conference rival Lakeville North 9-5 on Thursday night. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

Shakopee's Jaden Case gets hit by a pitch. The Saber's scored nine unanswered runs to beat South Suburban Conference rival Lakeville North 9-5 on Thursday night. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

First Report

Lakeville North got on the board early with four runs in the second inning, but Shakopee would go on to score the next nine runs as the Sabers won 9-5 at Joe Schleper Stadium in Shakopee on Thursday. 

After losing to the Panthers 5-4 in 11 innings on April 23, the Sabers (5-6) — which were on a four-game losing streak entering tonight’s game — wanted to shake things up and started senior lefthander John Sullivan on the mound for the first time this year. Sullivan’s left-handed catching counterpart, Joe Roder, was also starting in a new position — along with most of the rest of the Sabers.

The duo led an effective game, and aside from the Panthers’ four-run second inning supported by a bases-clearing double, Sullivan had a solid four innings on the mound, facing just three batters in each of the other three innings he pitched.

Sullivan also provided offense for the Sabers, hitting in the leadoff spot and tallying two RBIs on two hits and a walk. 

Chase Flaskey led the offense for the Panthers (8-4), hitting that three-run double to put the Panthers ahead in the second.

Lakeville North's Brayden Manning (21) is congratulated on his way home after hitting a home run in the top of the seventh inning. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

Lakeville North's Brayden Manning (21) is congratulated on his way home after hitting a home run in the top of the seventh inning. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

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