NRHEG, Triton Baseball Teams Pull Off First-Round Upsets

Going on the road as the No. 12 seed in the Section 2AA tournament on Saturday, NRHEG came home with a 7-3 win over Minnesota Valley Lutheran at historic Johnson Park in New Ulm. Panthers coach Mark Lee liked the karma of being the twelfth-seed and how they pans out many times in the NCAA basketball tournament.

In this case, a marvelous pitching effort from Daxter Lee was more important than a last-second, buzzer-beating shot. Lee went the full seven innings, fanning seven and giving up six hits. NRHEG faces No. 4 seed Sibley East in Gaylord Tuesday, June 1. Win or lose, both teams advance to play on Thursday.

The Triton Cobras also won as a lower seed (fifth) on the road in their first playoff game, topping No. 4 Zumbrota-Mazeppa 3-1 in nine innings Monday. Mason Barker delivered on the mound and at the plate.

The Cobras advance to play top-seed Rochester Lourdes Thursday, June 3 at Mayo Field in Rochester. Triton just beat the Eagles 4-3 at that park at the end of the regular season. Thursday starts the double-elimination portion of the Section 1AA tournament as well.

Medford (eighth seed) won at home Saturday 2-1 over LeSueur-Henderson. AJ Vandereide threw the complete game, striking out nine and not allowing an earned run. The Tigers play at No. 1 seed Belle Plaine Tuesday in Section 2AA.

Blooming Prairie saw their season come to an end Monday due to a 9-1 loss to Waterville-Elysian-Morristown in Section 1A.

Owatonna lost their Section 1AAAA playoff opener Saturday 17-8 to New Prague. The Huskies face Rochester John Marshall Tuesday at 5 pm at Fuller Field at Dartt's Park in an elimination game on Kat Kountry 105 FM.

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