Cannon Falls and Hampton End Seasons with Pitcher Duels

The Cannon Falls Bears were sent into hibernation 2-1 by the Eagle Lake Expos in Chaska today.  Hampton also lost a nailbiter 1-0 against the Champlin Park LoGators in Hamburg.

All part of the exciting opening weekend of the Minnesota Baseball Association Class C and Class B State Amateur Baseball Tournament.

Veteran Keith Meyers went the distance for the Bears throwing 121 pitches, 96 strikes with 1 walk, 9 strikeouts, 9 hits, both runs were not earned.

Eagle Lake has 7 players 20 years of age or younger on their roster and they did use that speed to achieve three hits on the infield.

Expos draftee Nolan Grose of Waterville got the win in relief of starter Mitch Kelly of Mankato.  Kelly pitched the first 4 innings with 57 pitches, 28 strikes, 3 strikeouts, 2 walks, a balk, 2 hits allowed.

Grose took the ball the rest of the way throwing 82 pitches, 52 strikes with 2 hits, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks.

Following strikeouts of the first two hitters for the Bears in the first inning Brock Peterson reached safely thanks to a throwing error and ended up at second base.

Designated Hitter Tanner Jackson hit a single to right field placing Peterson at third base and Jackson at first.  That's how the inning ended.

With one out in the third inning Cannon  Falls had another opportunity to score. With one out back to back walks were issued but Peterson hit into a double play.

The pitcher had to wait for the shortstop to cover second base and they still got Peterson for the second out because of the strong arm of Eagle Lake shortstop and Mankato East player Matt Werk.

Peter Haggerty connected for a one out single in the 4th inning.  He was balked to second base.  Haggerty moved to third base with the productive out by Rich Burr pushing the ball to the right side. Cannon Falls could not get a timely hit.

In the 5th inning following back to back strikeouts by Grose Jake Christenson was walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  He would stay there.

Haggerty got his second hit of the game with two outs in the 6th inning.  He was stranded there because the Bears had trouble facing Grose.

His long arms and legs appear to come from different directions.  He'll throw three quarter or straight from the side.

The Expos scored in the 6th inning.  Werk had a marathon at bat against Meyers following off pitch after pitch before getting walked to start the inning.

Werk would steal second base but was caught too far off the bag when shortshop Peterson crept in from behind taking Werk's attention away and allowing Zeke Williams to get between Werk and the shortstop side of the second base bag. Werk was erased from the basepaths after a short rundown.

The Expos next batter Owen Atherton hit a single.  Cleanup hitter Jake Schreiber also hit a single.  Tom Funk came to the plate, hit a grounder to Burr at third who looked the runner back to third base then threw just wide to second base in hopes of turning a double play.  The ball sailed into the outfield and Eagle Lake had their first run.

Cannon Falls answered in the top of the 7th when Williams was walked with one out.  Carlton Lindow stroked a single.  Williams would score on a grounder off the bat of Braxton Lindow that landed near the second base bag but the second baseman made a nice play to get there.  However he couldn't throw the ball to second base to record the second out and Williams scored.

The Bears would have only one more base runner the next two innings against Grose.  Lindow was walked with two outs. Cooper Peterson went in to run for Lindow and would gain second base on a passed ball.

Grose struck out Christenson to end the game.

Meyers started the bottom of the 8th inning with a strikeout of Atherton who had two hits on the day.  An error allowed Jake Schreiber to get on base.  He went to second base on a passed ball.

Meyers got the second out ahd had a 1-2 count on the catcher Luke Johnson.  Johnon was totally fooled on the second strike but give him credit he shortened his swing and lifted a pitch just over the second baseman's head to score the winning run from second base.

Both teams left 8 runners on base, Cannon Falls had 5 in scoring position, Eagle Lake 3 in scoring position.

The Bears ended their season 14-18 if the website statistics are accurate.  Eagle Lake now 8-11 will play Luverne next weekend.

The Expos were 4-12 in the 13/60 league and seeded #12 in the Region 6 tournament.  They were not quite the Cinderella because they lost in the title game to Joran 7-0 but did get the #2 seed out of the region.

Hampton had trouble getting any hits off Champlin Park pitcher Sam Riola.  The young right hander had a no hitter through six innings.

Rhett Hebig got a one out single in the top of the 7th for Hampton in what was then a scoreless game.  Catcher Johnny Dittman smacked a two out single but those are the only hits Hampton would execute.

Riola only allowed four baserunners for the Cardinals whille striking out 7 batters.  He walked two during the shutout performance throwing 129 pitches, 80 for strikes.

Hampton pitcher Adam Stockwell only gave up 4 hits to the LoGators but one mistake on a 2-2 count with one out in the bottom of the 7th decided the game.

Champlin Park catcher Ethan Mocchi connected sent the ball over the fence for the only run needed in his team's win.

Stockwell finished the game with 104 pitches through 8 innings, 71 strikes, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk.

Both teams left 4 runners on base and both teams had 3 runners in scoring position.

The LoGators play Victoria in Hamburg at 4:00 p.m. Saturday.

Earlier in Hamburg in Class B Rochester defeated Forest Lake 7-3.  The Royals hammered 15 hits and had 4 errors in the game.

The Brewers connected for 6 hits with 3 errors.

New Market rolled over Burnsville 11-5.  The Muskies had 17 hits.  They scored 9 runs in the second inning.

Miesville blanked host Chaska 9-0.  The Mudhens outhit the Cubs 12-4.

In Class B the Elite Eight are now ready for next weekend.  Miesville against East Grand Forks Saturday at 1 p.m. in Hamburg.

St. Michael plays New Market Friday, 7:30 p.m. in Hamburg.

Victoria goes up against Champlin Park Saturday, 4 p.m. in Hamburg and Rochester faces three time defending Champions Chanhassen Saturday 7 p.m. in Hamburg.

Do you agree with this list?

I'll never make the monetary list but it's not the most important thing right ?