Mayo Beats Owatonna in Baseball Playoff Opener with Five-Run Inning

Owatonna put plenty of runners on base during the Section 1AAAA opener at Mayo Field, but fell to the Spartans 6-2. The Huskies face elimination Monday in Lakeville.

OHS put runners on base in all but one inning and had at least two runners aboard three times. They loaded the bases in the fourth with no outs, but only managed one run for a 2-1 lead. For the game, the Huskies hit into two double plays, had a runner caught stealing and another tagged out when he drifted off his base.

Owatonna grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning after two hit batters and an RBI-single by Zach Mensink. Mayo tied the game at 1-1 in the second when pitcher Ethan Sawallish drove in a run.

The game momentum swung in the fourth. The Huskies put runners on with singles from Abe Havelka and Mensink. Brady Schuster reached on an error that loaded the bases with no one out. Sawallish struck out Nolan Malo for the first out. Dawson Leer singled for the 2-1 advantage. A 6-4-3 double play ended the threat.

Mayo responded by loading the bases themselves in the last of the fourth with one out. Sawallish delivered another run-scoring single to tie the game at 2-2. With the infield drawn in on the next batter, OHS made an error on a throw home that allowed two runs to score. Mayo added a two-run double after that for the 6-2 final.

Leer and Mensink each had two hits. Kodey Kiel pitched into the fourth inning until he was relieved by Havelka, who finished the game. Kiel threw about 70 pitches and is required to have two days rest before throwing again based on new rules this year through the Minnesota State High School League. He won't be available Monday.

Owatonna (9-12) faces elimination against Lakeville South May 29 at North High School at 11AM on Kat Kountry 105FM. South lost to top-seed Lakeville North 12-3 on Saturday. The Huskies will have to win twice on Monday to stay alive in the tournament.

Mayo will play North at 1:30PM Monday. In the other half of the Section 1AAAA bracket, Farmington blanked John Marshall 2-0 and New Prague upset Century 8-6.