Owatonna Baseball Rally Falls Short; Softball Drops First Big 9 Game

Owatonna got behind 7-0 after a half-inning against Winona in a Big Nine Conference baseball game at Fuller Field at Dartt's Park Tuesday. The Huskies pulled within 10-8 with runners on base in the fifth inning, but ultimately lost 11-8 to the Winhawks.

Winona benefitted from four first-inning walks and four singles off three OHS pitchers to grab the early advantage. Caleb Vereide was the last of those hurlers. He kept the Winhawks enough in check the rest of the way to give his team a chance for a comeback.

Ayden Walter and Teagun Ahrens got hits in the third inning. Walter scored on a passed ball and Ahrens came across the plate on a ground out by Taylor Bogen. Winona's lead was down to 7-2.

Vereide got hit by a pitch in the fourth and scored on a single by Owen Beyer. The Huskies were now within 7-3. Winona responded with a three-run fifth inning.

OHS came back in the bottom of the frame with five runs. Walter walked, Ahrens was hit by a pitch, Nick Williams walked, Vereide and Beyer both singled. All five scored to make the score 10-8. The Huskies also stranded the tying run on base that inning.

Winona added a little insurance in the seventh with a seventh-inning run. Owatonna got two base runners aboard in the bottom of the inning but Winona held on for the 11-8 conference win.

Winhawk sophomore pitcher Carson Jones was very effective in mixing his fastball and curve. He struck out five while pitching into the fifth inning. He fanned the side in the second on three called third strikes. Marcus Winter finished off the game allowing two hits in two-plus innings.

Owatonna (3-3 overall) plays a makeup game at Austin Wednesday, April 27 then travels to No. 1 rated in Class AAA Mankato West Thursday, April 28 for a 6:15 pm start.

SOFTBALL FALLS AT WINONA

Huskies softball lost their first conference game Tuesday, dropping a 6-3 decision at Winona.

Coach Jeremy Moran said the team had chances, "We just needed a couple more hits tonight when we had runners on and we gave them 1 big inning.  That was the difference tonight.  We had more hits than Winona tonight, but they had the biggest hits including 2 HRs from Grace Fricke."

OHS host conference powerhouse Mankato West Thursday at 5 pm at Morehouse Park in Owatonna. The Scarlets beat Faribault Tuesday 18-0.

Baseball scores from Tuesday, April 26
Albert Lea 4, Rochester Century 2
Byron 2, Rochester Lourdes 1
Farmington 8, Burnsville 0
Hayfield 4, JWP 0
LeSueur-Henderson 4, Medford 0
Rochester Mayo 6, Red Wing 4
Mankato West 10, Faribault 0
Northfield 7, Austin 2
Pine Island 1, Kasson-Mantorville 0
Winona 11, Owatonna 8

Softball scores from Tuesday, April 26
Farmington 3, Lakeville South 2
Glenville Emmons/AC 16, Kenyon-Wanamingo 1
Hayfield 10, Blooming Prairie 1
Mankato East 14, Rochester JM 0
Mankato West 18, Faribault 0
NRHEG 12, JWP 2
New Ulm 13, Waseca 0
Northfield 22, Austin 2
Randolph 10, Triton 2
Rochester Century 1, Albert Lea 0
USC 6, Medford 2, eight innings
Winona 6, Owatonna 3