The Knights were quick to get to business and earn control of the game, and notably finished with 18 RBIs, 14 hits and no errors. RTR scored 10 runs in the first inning and sixth in the fourth to highlight its four plate appearances.

“I think [our offense] was pretty good. We finally got the bats going, that’s for sure,” Tommeraasen said. “It’s been a struggle lately, but we were able to get a handle of them today … We are picking up the game slowly here.”

RTR has been cruising along, picking up its seventh-straight win after suffering back-to-back losses to Minneota and Adrian/Ellsworth two weeks ago.

YME has also been having a season moving in the right direction, and entered Tuesday with an even .500 record.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton's Levi Tommeraasen leads off of second base Tuesday night against Yellow Medicine East in Ruthton.

“Up until today, we’ve been pretty competitive,” YME head coach Nick Richter said. “It’s been an up and down year. I like the kids, like my team, like my boys, today was not our day, and we’re going to forget about it. This one was not good.”

Nearly everyone got a taste of offense for RTR. In addition to Tommeraasen and Chandler, Isaac Janish also had three hits on the day, including a trip, with four runs. Quinn Valdez accounted for four runs as well.

Pitching-wise, Chandler limited YME to just one hit through his 4 1/3 innings on the mound. Along with his six strikeouts, he allowed four walks in his shutout performance. Gavin Schruers finished off the game in the final two outs of the fifth, throwing one strikeout as the Knights’ defense made the final play.

“Our pitching was great, [and] our defense. The boys did great, no complaining there, we were able to get a team win today,” Tommeraasen said.

For the Sting, Gunnar Fagen went 1 for 2 at the plate while Liam Anderson saw the most time on the mound with 2 1/3 innings, and finished with five strikeouts while allowing one walk and four earned runs.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton's Brayden Chandler throws a pitch Tuesday night against Yellow Medicine East in Ruthton.

Getting the game started in exciting fashion, all of RTR’s runners reached base by either a hit or walk, and not on an error.

The Knights went through the entire batting lineup, and Tommeraasen highlighted the inning behind a three-run RBI double and a two-run RBI single.

Tommeraasen’s single scored the first two runs of the game, from Chandler and Gavin Schreurs. Chandler was first hit by a pitch while Schreurs walked.

In regards to his high-hitting night, Tommeraasen said he felt as if he was seeing the ball better at the plate, noting that it’s been a struggle he’s been overcoming over the past few games.

Kolby Louwagie and Janish both scored during the same YME at-bat on wild pitches, as did Jackson Kerkaert soon after on a passed ball. Louwagie grounded into a fielder’s choice, while Kerkaert and Janish singled.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Yellow Medicine East's Gunnar Fagen swings at a pitch Tuesday night against Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Ruthton.

RTR kept the bases loaded, and Tommeraasen’s big double on a fly ball to center field cleared the diamond to send home Schreurs, Chandler and Tyler Wichmann for the 10-0 lead.

Schreurs was originally walked, while Chandler had a base hit and Wichmann was hit by a pitch.

“They [RTR] got to play in it too,” Richter said regarding the high winds of the afternoon. “We just got to be better on our toes, a little more aggressive and not so nonchalant.”

Chandler tossed his third strikeout of the early game while RTR completed two field plays to quickly return back to offense, scoring another five runs in the bottom of the second. Tommeraasen had his second double of the night to score both Chandler and Wichmann once more.

Both Chandler and Wichmann had singles to reach base.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Yellow Medicine East's Caysen Lien fields the ball and looks to throw to first Tuesday night against Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Ruthton.

Ultimately, the bats kept connecting and the hits continued to fly as the Knights flew by the rest of the game, halting the Sting from getting any momentum going.

“It’s always fun, the guys are always good in the dugout and they’re always fun to joke around with,” Tommeraasen said.

After Schreurs stepped in as relief in the fifth inning for the final two outs, he threw a strikeout while catcher Garrett Elton caught a foul ball to end the game.

YME finished with one hit and seven errors.

Both teams are nearing the end of the regular season, as the Sting and Knights look to continue building up some positive momentum heading into the section tournament.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Yellow Medicine East's Gavin Torvik throws the ball in from left field Tuesday night against Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Ruthton.

“I like where we are going right now, but we got to keep our head level,” Tommeraasen said. “We cannot get too cocky about it. Any team is beatable, so we just have to keep playing our game.”

RTR (13-4) will look for its eighth straight win when it hosts Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove on Thursday with a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.

YME (7-8) will remain on the road for its third of a five-game road trip at Central Minnesota Christian on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE

RTR

BATTING

G. Schreurs: 0-3, 2 BB, RBI, 3 R, SO; B. Chandler: 3-3, 2 HBP, 3 RBI, 4 R; T. Wichmann: 1-1, 2 HBP, 3 R; P. St. Aubin: 1-1 (2B), HBP, 2 RBI; L. Tommeraasen: 3-5 (2 2B), 8 RBI, SO; K. Louwagie: 0-5, 2 R, 2 SO; I. Janish: 3-4 (3B), RBI, 4 R; Q. Valdez: 0-0, 3 BB, HBP, 4 R; J. Kerkaert: 2-3, HBP, RBI, 2 R, SO; T. Burns: 1-3, 2 RBI, R.

PITCHING

B. Chandler: W, 4.1 IP, H, 4 BB, 6 SO; G. Schreurs: 0.2 IP, SO.

YME

BATTING

D. Monsoon: 0-1, 2 BB, SO; G. Fagen: 1-2; No. 5: 0-1, BB; No. 3: 0-1, BB; A. Kuehn: 0-1, HBP.

PITCHING

C. Lien: L, 0.2 IP, 5 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 3 BB; L. Anderson: 2.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 4 ER, BB, 5 SO; D. Hildahl: IP, 2 H, 6 R, BB.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton's Isaac Janish (left) hi-fives Jackson Kerkaert (right) after scoring Tuesday night against Yellow Medicine East in Ruthton.