The Lyle-Pacelli baseball team started on the wrong foot, but it recovered with a bounce back performance to keep its season alive at the Section 1A Tournament in Seltz Field Saturday.

The Athletics lost to Rushford-Peterson 5-1 and they beat Wabasha-Kellogg 8-3 in an elimination game.

After having three runners picked off in a tough loss to the Trojans, the Athletics came out swinging and scored three runs in the top of the first inning against WK. Trinity Anderson delivered a two-out, two RBI single to right field to put LP up 3-0.

“This was a live or die situation with this game and I like playing with these guys, so I tried to come up big for them,” Anderson said. “It would be a big thing if we can advance [to state] and it’s my last chance.”

LP (12-8 overall) will play RP in the Section 1A championship in Seltz Field at 5 p.m Tuesday. The Athletics will need to get two wins on Tuesday to advance to the program’s first ever state tournament.

The Falcons (11-11 overall} pulled to within 4-3 when Cooper Holtorf doubled in a run in the fifth inning, but LP was able to score three runs in the top of the sixth to go back up 7-3.

“We just needed to refocus [in the second game],” LP head coach Brock Meyer said. “They were coming off a big win [over Blooming Prairie] and we were coming off a tough loss. We had to get those first couple of hits out of the way and they settled in and played Lyle-Pacelli baseball.”

LP has received a big boost from freshman Cole Walter in the postseason. Walter went three-for-six with two RBIs on the day for LP, but his biggest impact may have been behind the plate. Walter started the season as a second baseman, but when LP catcher Tanner Murphy suffered an arm injury, he’s became LP’s lone catcher and he’s been solid behind the plate.

“I can’t say enough about the effort Cole’s put in this year,” Meyer said. “I know Tanner loves to catch and he’s a good catcher, but having a backup like Cole that can step up and do that, it’s quite an asset to have as a coach.”

While it can be grueling to catch consecutive games, Walter has done it without complaining as he’s kept his focus on keeping LP’s playoff run alive.

“It’s crazy [catching two games] and it gets hot back there. It’s just something that coach told me to do so I went and did it,” Walter said. “After the loss today, we just tried to have fun in the dugout in between games. In the past we’ve come out flat in the second game of doubleheaders after we lost the first one. We tried to come out with high energy.”

LP 0 0 0  0 0 0  1  —  1  7  1

RP 0 1 3  1 0 0  X  —  5  8  1

LP pitching: Taylor Arett (L) 6 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 5 ER, 5 K, HBP

LP hitting: Cole Walter, 1-for-3; Zach Bollingberg, 0-for-3; Jed Nelson, 1-for-3, R; Arett, 1-for-2, BB; Tanner Murphy, 0-for-3; Bryce Strouf, 1-for-3, RBI; Trinity Anderson, 1-for-3; Sam Nelson, 0-for-3; Jayden Lewis, 2-for-3

LP 3 0 0  1 0 3  1  —  8  9  0

WK 2 0 0  0 1 0  0  —  3  7  2

LP pitching: Bollingberg (W) 7 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 3 ER, 6 K

LP hitting: Walter, 2-for-3, 2 RBIs, R, BB; Bollingberg, 2-for-5, RBI, SB, R; Nelson, 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, SB; Arett, 1-for-3, BB; Murphy, 1-for-3, BB; Strouf, 0-for-2, 2 BBs; Anderson, 1-for-4, 2 RBIs; Nelson, 1-for-3, 2 R, BB; Lewis, 0-for-3, 2 R, BB