Cottonwood 7, Clinton 6

COTTONWOOD — Seth Boerboom racked up five total bases and a win on the mound for the Cottonwood Cardinals in their season opener against the Clinton Cardinals in Land O’ Ducks cross-division play on Saturday. The Cards led 6-4 through six innings, but three runs in the final three innings allowed Cottonwood to come back for a walk-off 7-6 win.

The game was tied at six runs apiece heading into the bottom of the ninth when Aaron Lienemann and Boerboom singled consecutively to start the frame. With one out, an intentional walk to Caine Herigon loaded the bases and Taiven Isaackson grounded into a fielder’s choice. Lienemann was tagged out on the play, but Boerboom scored on a throw to first to walk off the win.

The Cardinals tied the game in the seventh when Lienemann singled and scored on a Boerboom double, and Boerboom scored the tying run on a Herigon single.

Wyatt Schuster pitched the first six innings for Cottonwood, giving up four earned runs on nine hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Boerboom earned the win in relief, tossing three scoreless, hitless, walkless innings.

Boerboom finished with three hits, including a pair of doubles, and two RBIs for the Cardinals. Herigon also drove in a pair of runs while Lienemann and Isaackson each singled twice.

Cottonwood struck first in the bottom of the first when Nate Jensen singled and scored on a Boerboom double, and Boerboom scored on a Herigon fielder’s choice. The Cards got a run back in the top of the third, but the Cardinals brought their lead to 4-1 in the fourth when Jensen singled in Austin Timm and Lienemann grounded out to score Schuster.

A single and an error set the table for a two-run double and a sacrifice ground out for Clinton in the fifth to tie the game, and the Cards took their first lead when Sam Adelman hit a two-run homer after a double-play in the sixth.

Ryan Toelle got a no-decision for Clinton on the mound after giving up two earned and two unearned runs on five hits and a walk over the first four innings. Adelman took the loss after giving up three earned runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts over 4 2/3 frames.

Adelman and Keane Turner each racked up a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs while Nate Vogt and Jaxson Gary each singled twice for the Cards.

Cottonwood 8, Appleton 6

COTTONWOOD — Caine Herigon’s go-ahead grand slam highlighted a six-run seventh inning for the Cottonwood Cardinals in their Land O’ Ducks matchup against Appleton on Sunday to close out their opening weekend with an 8-6 win over the A’s.

The Cardinals trailed 5-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh when the offense started to click. A pair of walks to Aaron Lienemann and Jacob Rausch, broken up by a Seth Boerboom double, loaded the bases with no outs. A Caden Steffen walk pushed one run across the plate and Caine Herigon stole all momentum for the Cardinals with a go-ahead grand slam.

Ayden St. Pierre then singled before scoring on a Nate Jensen single to give Cottonwood an 8-5 lead.

Herigon finished his day with five RBIs on four hits for the Cardinals while Boerboom and St. Pierre each contributed another pair of hits.

Appleton got a run back in the top of the eighth but Cottonwood retired the side in order in the ninth to seal the win.

Austin Timm picked up the win on the mound for Cottonwood, giving up two earned runs on five walks over four hitless innings, while Boerboom picked up the save after giving up two hits over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Brian Enstad gave up three earned and one unearned run on four hits and five walks over 3 2/3 innings in the start.

Three singles from Rausch, Jordan Fischer and Taiven Isaackson pushed across the game’s first run in the bottom of the second, but Appleton tied the game with a run of their own in the third, three more in the fourth, and another in the top of the sixth to take a 5-1 lead.

Cottonwood started to cut into the deficit when Herigon hit a solo home run, his second of the day, in the sixth to make it a three-run ballgame.

Ryker Gruwell was charged with the loss for Appleton, giving up two earned runs on four hits over two innings. Kaiden Allpress also gave up four earned runs on three walks and a hit without getting an out, while Braiden Kittleson gave up two earned runs on seven hits and three walks in a six-inning no-decision start.

Appleton got six hits from six different batters, including two walks and a single each from Kittleson and Tucker Droogsma.

Cottonwood improves to 2-0 with the win and next goes on the road to take on the Morris Eagles on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Minneota 14, Rosen 14

MINNEOTA — After a stagnant offensive start to its Land O’ Ducks game against Rosen on Sunday, the Minneota Mudhens rattled off 11 runs in the sixth inning to surge ahead for a 14-13 win.

The Mudhens still trailed 13-12 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but Peyton Gillund doubled before scoring the tying run on a Tate Walerius double with two outs, and Walerius scored the game-winning run on an Isaac Pohlen single.

Rpsem scored a run on a bases-loaded walk to increase their lead to 13-1 in the top of the sixth before consecutive outs ended the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Minneota’s offense pounced.

Walerius and Pohlen reached on consecutive errors before Brock Buysse sparked the offense with an RBI single. Kaden Christensen walked to load the bases and Ryan Dalager, Ian Myhre, Gillund and Austin Buysse hit consecutive RBI singles to cut the deficit to 13-6.

The rally continued with a two-run single from AJ Myhre and another RBI single from Walerius before the Express got the inning’s first out. Brock Buysse then reached on an error to drive in one run and Walerius scored on a fielder’s choice to make the score 13-11 with the tying run to the plate with two outs. Dalager then got his second RBI single of the inning for the Mudhens before a strikeout ended the frame with the Mudhens trailing by a run.

Dalager earned the win on the mound after throwing three innings of scoreless, hitless relief to finish the game. He struck out five batters while giving up a pair of walks.

Jake Hennen gave up eight earned and two unearned runs on 12 hits and a pair of walks in his four-inning start. AJ Myhre also gave up three earned runs on four hits and four walks over two innings.

Gillund and Myhre each racked up three hits in the game, including three RBIs for Myhre. Tate Walerius and Ryan Dalager each also drove in a pair of runs on a pair of hits, with each doubling once. 

Rosen plated a pair of unearned runs in the first before Minneota got on the board when AJ Myhre drove in Gillund on a single in the third. Yet, nine singles and a pair of walks gave Rosen eight runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead.

The Express also scored two more runs in the fifth to bring their lead up to 12-1.

Christian Kanten got the start for Rosen, giving up one earned run on five hits and a walk over five innings with five strikeouts. Yet, he finished the day with a no-decision after Devin Boots gave up four earned and two unearned runs on three hits and a walk without getting an out. 

Mike Schake took the loss after giving up five earned and two unearned runs on eight hits over three innings.

Preston Kraft got four hits with five RBIs for Rosen while Dru Boots had three hits and a pair of walks.

Minneota improves to 2-0 with the win and goes on the road to take on the Granite Falls Kilowatts in a non-conference game on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Bird Island 4, Granite Falls 0

GRANITE FALLS — Quality pitching performances from Bennett Knapper and Drew Almich weren’t enough to overcome a lack of production at the plate in the Granite Falls Kilowatts’ Corn Belt League matchup against Bird Island on Sunday. The Kilowatts were held without a hit and fell 4-0 in their season debut.

Knapper tossed the first six innings for the Kilowatts, giving up a pair of earned hits on four hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. in relief, Almich surrendered a pair of runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Nikson Knapper got into scoring position three times for Granite Falls, leading off the fourth and eighth innings with walks and the first inning with a single. The only other Kilowatt to get into scoring position was Jake Odegard after he walked and stole second in the third inning, but Granite Falls never advanced a runner past second base.

After five scoreless innings, Bird Island got on the scoreboard when Braden Tersteeg walked, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. After Jordan Sagedahl was hit by a pitch and stole second, a James Wolfel single and a Dylan Gass sacrifice fly scored the two runners.

Bird Island added another run in the seventh when Zeke Walton singled and scored on a Tersteeg double, and Sagedahl scored again in the eighth when he singled and scored on a Wolfel single.

Casey Lewandowski pitched six scoreless innings to earn the win for Bird Island, striking out 11 batters while giving up four hits and a pair of walks. Dylan Gas pitched three no-hit innings to earn the save, striking out three batters while walking two.

Granite Falls drops to 0-1 with the loss and will look to bounce back when it hosts Minneota for an exhibition game on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Hadley 10, Jackson 0

HADLEY –The Hadley Buttermakers plated six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come from behind for a 10-8 win over the Jackson Bulls on Sunday.

The Buttermakers trailed 8-4 heading into the penultimate frame when they rallied ahead. Derek Kluis led the Hadley bats on the day with a double, a single and two RBIs. Alex Peterson and Bryce Ahrendt each also drove in a pair of runs on two singles for Peterson and one for Ahrendt, while Jakob Olson singled twice and drove in one run.

Max Zwert earned the win on the mound with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two batters while giving up a hit. Owen Gillette also threw one scoreless inning with two walks and a hit, while Lincoln Swanjord got two outs while giving up four earned and two unearned runs on three hits and a pair of walks.

Tucker Sorenson threw the first six innings for Hadley, striking out 10 batters while allowing two earned runs on five hits and five walks.

Hadley took an early lead with one run in the second and third innings. Jackson tied the game back up with a pair of fifth-inning runs and, after Hadley scored a run of its own in the sixth, the Bulls scored six runs in the top of the seventh.

Hadley improves to 2-0 with the win and goes on the road to face the Milroy Irish on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Wabasso 7, Milroy Yankees 2

WABASSO — A well-rounded hitting effort from the top of the lineup to the bottom gave the Wabasso Rabbits a 7-2 Corn Belt League victory over Milroy on Sunday.

The Yankees scored in the top of the first when Aaron Mathiowetz hit a two-run homer. Yet, the Wabasso pitching shut down Milroy for the rest of the day, limiting the Yankees to a total of four hits and four walks.

The Rabbits took the lead in the fourth inning. Carter Guetter and Joseph Liebl hit a single and a double to get into scoring position and CJ Theis hit a two-run single to give Wabasso a 3-2 lead.

Liebl earned the win on the mound, limiting Milroy to two earned runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out 12 batters while walking three.

In relief, Adryen Tietz earned the save for the Rabbits with 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He struck out seven batters while walking one, and held the Yankees without a hit.

Tietz scored the Rabbits’ first run in the first when he singled, stole second and scored on a Samuel Guetter double.

Caleb Kemp, Max Fuhr and Austin Gunderson reached on a hit-by-pitch and consecutive errors to start the seventh, with Kemp scoring on the latter of the two. Tietz then hit a two-run double and scored when Samuel Guetter singled to make the score 7-2.

Parker Schmitt took the loss for the Yankees, giving up three earned runs on seven hits over four innings. Mathiowetz also gave up two earned and two unearned runs over three innings of work, while Nathan Deutz pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Wabasso improves to 1-0 with the win and goes on the road to take on Bird Island in its next Corn Belt League game on Wednesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Milroy falls to 0-2 and next hosts Granite Falls on Friday at 5 p.m.

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