Photo by Jake McNeill: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton pitcher Kolby Louwagie high-fives his teammates after getting an inning-ending strikeout during a Red Rock Conference baseball game against Murray County Central, Monday in Ruthton.

RUTHTON — Jackson Kerkaert came up big for the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton baseball team when it mattered most on Monday night. Taking on undefeated Murray County Central in Red Rock Conference play, the Knights trailed heading into the bottom of the seventh but rallied for a 6-5 walk-off win.

“It was just pure adrenaline at first. It was more of just ‘Let’s go’ going on in my head [after the hit], but the key was just staying composed,” Kerkaert said of his walk-off hit. “I’d say I’m pretty good at that, so I was looking forward to the moment. I was hoping it was me.”

RTR faced a 5-3 deficit heading into its final turn at bat, but a Brayden Chandler single and walks to Tyler Wichmann and Kolby Louwagie loaded the bases with one out. A passed ball scored Chandler, MCC got a ground out to put two away while holding the tying run at third.

Still, Gabe Elton hit a slow grounder up the middle, and a throwing error by the Rebels kept the Knights’ hopes alive and allowed Wichmann to run home for the tying run.

With the game on the line, Kerkaert hit a line-drive double into deep centerfield, scoring Louwagie and sealing a 6-5 victory for the Knights.

Monday’s meeting was the second of the season between the Knights and Rebels, with MCC downing RTR 6-0 on April 20. Still, the Knights were able to learn from the last game and flip the script this time around.

“We came in there kind of acting like we were peacocks, cocky a little bit, and they humbled us real quick,” RTR head coach Danny Moffitt said. “After that we started rolling, and I think we said, ‘Hey, we’re going to keep our same attitude and everything that we had for preparations from the last couple games we played, and it’s been working really well.”

Prior to Monday’s matchup, MCC had won 16 consecutive games to start the season. While the Rebels no longer have the potential of a perfect season, they still have plenty of goals left to work for.

“I was just proud of the way they fought back. We were down 3-1 in the fifth, found a way to tie it and took the lead in the seventh. We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of,” MCC head coach Paul Counter said. “We’ve had a good season and we’re not going to let one loss derail us. RTR is a fantastic team as well, and it’s nice just to have good competition as we get going into the playoffs.”

MCC took its first lead since the third inning with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Tied at three runs apiece, Tristan Behrends walked, Dugan Kluis singled and Krew Schneider came up with a two-run single to give the Rebels the lead. Still, RTR pitcher Tyler Wichmann retired three consecutive Knights to get out of the inning without further damage.

“It’s nice to get the leadoff guy on with a walk, and then our three- and four-hitters have done what they do all year,” Counter said. “They didn’t try to do too much with the pitch they got, both hit line drives to right field and it was nice to take the lead. But probably didn’t feel like enough with how wet and sloppy it was.”

Louwagie got the start for RTR, giving up two earned runs on one hit and seven walks over the first 4 2/3 innings. He also struck out five batters, but was left with a no-decision. In relief, Wichmann got the win after surrendering a pair of runs on a pair of hits and a walk over 2 1/3.

“I just wanted to go right at them and kind of attack the strike zone,” Louwagie said. “It’s kind of nice having a coach that can trust you on the mound with a good team … It [the win] feels really good. We’ve been getting the bats going a lot, and that helps tremendously.”

Louwagie gave up a triple to Carson Lewis to lead off the fourth inning, but locked in with three consecutive strikeouts to escape the inning with the Knights’ 2-1 lead intact.

Lewis reached on an error and scored when Dane Larson reached on a second RTR error with one out in the second, giving the Rebels the game’s first run. Yet, RTR responded in the third when Gavin Schreurs, Brayden Chandler and Wichmann hit consecutive singles to push across the tying run, and Chandler scored on a passed ball with two outs to give RTR a 2-1 lead.

Schreurs finished the day with a game-high three hits, including a double, tying MCC’s total as a team. Kerkaert and Tyson Burns each also reached base twice with a pair of hits, and Wichmann got on three times with a hit and two walks.

While hits were hard to come by for the Rebels, they were consistently disciplined at the plate. Kluis, Schneider and Lewis each reached base twice with a hit and a walk, including a triple for Lewis, while Teague Meyer and Behrends walked twice each.

Meyer put together a strong pitching performance for the Rebels, striking out eight batters over six innings while limiting RTR to a pair of earned runs on eight hits and a walk. Kluis took the loss in relief, allowing a trio of unearned runs on two walks and a hit in the final 2/3 innings.

Burns padded the Knights’ lead in the fourth when he singled with two outs and scored on a Gavin Schreurs double.

The Knights’ lead wasn’t safe for long, however. MCC tied the game up in the fifth when Meyer, Behrends and Schneider walked to load the bases. With two outs, a passed ball scored Meyer, and after a Lewis walk reloaded the bases, a walk to Cayden Velhuisen pushed across the tying run. Still, Wichmann took over for Louwagie for the final out, getting out of the inning with a strikeout with the score still tied.

RTR improves to 15-4 on the season with the win and looks to extend its winning streak to 10 games when it goes on the road to take on Canby in its regular-season finale on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

“We’re right there, I mean we’re at 90% [of our potential],” Moffitt said. “I mean, our attitudes, don’t let it get down. We had a few errors and we could have buried in quicksand, but we kept grinding and kept going after it, and that’s what we’ve been working on the whole season, so I’m proud of where we’re at. We’ve got Canby tomorrow, and we want to finish strong, but all-in-all, we’re doing very good.”

MCC falls to 16-1 with the loss and also wraps up its season on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m, hosting Class 2A Jackson County Central with the hope of picking its momentum back up as it heads into the postseason.

BOX SCORE

RTR

BATTING

G. Schreurs: 3-4 (2B), RBI, R, SB; B. Chandler: 1-4, 2 R; T. Wichmann: 1-2, 2 BB, RBI, R, SO; L. Tommeraasen: 0-3, HBP, SO; K. Louwagie: 0-2, BB, HBP, R, 2 SO; J. Kerkaert: 2-2 (2B), RBI; T. Burns: 2-3, 4.

PITCHING

K. Louwagie: 4.2 IP, H, 3 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 5 SO; T. Wichmann: W, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 3 SO.

BATTING

T. Meyer: 0-2, 2 BB, R, SB; T. Behrends: 0-2, 2 BB, 2 R; D. Kluis: 1-3, BB; K. Schneider: 1-3, BB, 2 RBI, SO; C. Lewis: 1-3 (3B), BB, R, SB; C. Veldhuisen: 0-2, BB, RBI; G. Tentinger: 0-2, HBP, 2 SO.

PITCHING

T. Meyer: 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 8 SO; D. Kluis: L, 0.2 IP, H, 3 R, 2 BB.