Mitch Heid singled to drive in Austin Host in the first inning for the lone run and Browerville survived a wild finish -- complete with thunder, lightning and heavy rain -- to beat Kenyon-Wanamingo 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the state Class 1A baseball tournament on Thursday, June 14, at Athletic Field in Chaska.

 

 Kenyon-Wanamingo (19-7) rallied in the bottom of the seventh on a leadoff single by Derek Gronseth and walk to Marcus Peterson. After a fielder’s choice and strikeout on a wild pitch, runners were at second and third when Sam Roosen struck out to end the game. 

 

Stormy weather, including a series of heavy rain showers, delayed the scheduled 10 a.m. start time by four hours. The game lasted just 1 hour, 33 minutes, and another storm hit just as the final out was recorded.

 

Browerville (23-3) had three of its six hits in the first inning, when Host and Reid Pearson singled, setting up Heid’s game-deciding RBI.

 

Host and Pearson each finished with two hits. Host pitched all seven innings allowing five hits and striking out six while walking three.

 

Five players each had a hit for Kenyon-Wanamingo. Sam Roosen went the distance for the Knights, striking out nine with no walks.

 

The senior pitched seven shutout innings, went 2-for-3 and scored the Tigers’ lone run. Hard to do much better than that. He was clutch when he needed to be, too, throwing back-to-back strikeouts to end the game with Kenyon-Wanamingo runners at second and third.

 

The junior struck out nine and did not issue a walk in a masterful performance. Three of the six hits he allowed came in the first inning, when Browerville scored its lone run. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.

 

The junior had a hit and scored the lone run in the first inning. He also played some stellar defense at shortstop.