Photo by Samantha Davis. The Milroy Irish group together in the top of the first inning at Irish Yard on Sunday playing Windom. Milroy lost 20-3 and is eliminated from playoffs.

MILROY — With a fight for both teams to win and advance to the Region 13C semi-finals, the No. 4 Milroy Irish fell to No. 5 Windom Pirates in seven innings 20-3 in the last game of a best-of-3 series at Irish Yard on Sunday.

Windom scored their key runs in the second and fourth innings to secure the victory. A handful of pitchers got to the mound for the Irish. Moses Dolan started, pitching 2 1/3 innings. Connor Lanoue relieved him, pitching until the fourth with one strikeout when Levi Maeyart stepped in for the inning. Anthony Dolan came in for relief in the fourth for the last out and pitched until the sixth, when Derek Smith finished the game in the seventh with two strikeouts. Luke Gilbertson pitched the entire game for Windom with seven strikeouts.

“Pitch and play defense, and it’s going to be a good game” Anthony, also a team manager, said about their mindset going into the game. “Unfortunately, we didn’t do either of those. If you don’t pitch and play (defense), and they got a veteran pitcher on the mound, and you don’t hit, you basically have no aspects of the game in your favor. So, that is what’s tough.”

Several players contributed to the Pirate’s offense, led by three hits, three runs and four RBIs by Quintin Tietz, three runs, two hits, and five RBIs from Alex Fink, and three hits, runs and RBIs from Gilbertson respectively. Tyler Peterson had one run and two hits for the Irish while Smith had another run and three hits.

After a scoreless first inning for both teams, Windom brought in eight runs in the top of the second. Bases were loaded as Milroy’s Brady Espenson was walked, for the first run of the game. An overthrow to home, hit batter, two singles and a double to center field by Gilbertson cultivated the next seven.

Moses was relieved at the mound with one out by Lanoue, and the Irish were able to end the inning with a double play forced out at second and throw to first.

“It’s taking one at-bat at a time,” Anthony said. “Slow the game down one at-bat and chip away. When we got down 8-0, we didn’t fold because it was only the second inning. There was a lot of game left.”

Tyler Patterson and Andrew Wallen got on base in the bottom of the second from a single and hit pitch. Moses hit an RBI single to bring Patterson in and the score to 8-1.

Milroy’s response was cut short by a forced out at second and a diving catch in center field.

Both teams did not allow any runs in the third, performing three quick outs.

The Pirates continued to capitalize on their lead with eleven more runs, extending it to 19-1 in the top of the fourth. With two players on base, Fink hit a homerun over the right field fence with no outs.

Levi relieved Lanoue with no outs in the top of the fourth.

Windom had the bases loaded, and two walks brought in a few more. In a need to stop the offense, third baseman Andrew Wallen and second baseman Dominic Dolan both threw forced outs at home from grounders.

With one more out needed, Windom’s Tietz hit a double to bring in three more. The bats didn’t stop, as Fink hit a replicate homerun over right field for two more.

As one more run came in, Anthony relieved Levi with two outs. Tyler Maeyaert then caught a fly ball in right field to bring Milroy to the plate.

The Irish’s opportunity to respond in the bottom of the fourth was quickly cut short after a strikeout, fly ball catch and forced out at first.

Milroy in return kept Windom quiet in the top of the fifth with no hits and no errors.

Peterson and Derek Smith both hit singles to get on first and second in the bottom of the fifth. However, a strikeout and two foul ball catches on the first and third baseline again resulted in a scoreless inning for Milroy.

The Pirates added one more run in the top of the sixth with an RBI single, for a 20-1 score.

Smith stepped to the mound in the top of the seventh to relieve Anthony. Despite two hits by pitches, Milroy was able to defend the field for no runs.

With Milroy’s last chance to bat in the bottom of the seventh, Peterson hit a double to center field. Smith then hit another double to send Peterson home, and Tyler Maeyart also hit a single to bring in Smith. But, two strikeouts and a throw out at first ended the game with a 20-3 final score.

The Luverne Redbirds, Jackson Bulls, Fairmont Martins and Windom Pirates advance next to the final four semi-finals and three will qualify for state.

Milroy finished second in the Gopher League and completed the season with a 14-9 overall record.

“As a whole, I am very proud of the guys … We added a couple of good, young guys,” Anthony said. “This team in a couple years is going to be a dynamite team. We got to stick together, get those young guys contributing and we will be tough.”