Athletics suffer another state tournament heart break
Published 5:23 pm Thursday, June 13, 2024
Isaac Nelsen fires a pitch against Sacred Heart. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Lyle-Pacelli assistant coach Jordan Hart speaks to Dawson Jenkins after Jenkins drove in a run. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Hunter VaDeer hurls a pitch for Lyle-Pacelli. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Jack Klingufus makes solid contact for the Athletics. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Lyle-Pacelli's Dane Schara slides home at the Class A state quarterfinals in Faber Field Thursday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.co
Lyle-Pacelli's Logyn Brooks eyes up a pitch against Scared Heart. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Lyle-Pacelli's Landon Meyer slides safely into second base against Sacred Heart at Faber Field. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Lyle-Pacelli's Hunter VaDeer places a tag on Sacred Heart's Mike Gapp in the seventh inning. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Hunter Wollenburg throws from his knees. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
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ST. CLOUD – It was deja vu all over again for the Lyle-Pacelli baseball team in the Minnesota Class A State Baseball quarterfinals Thursday.
Just like in last year’s state championship game, which L-P lost to Fosston, the Athletics had a chance with multiple runners on and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, but they couldn’t close it out as they fell to Sacred Heart 7-5 at Joe Faber Field.
L-P had two runners on after Landon Meyer singled in a run while down 7-5 and Logyn Brooks added a single, but Hunter VaDeer struck out and Isaac Nelsen grounded out to end the game.
The Eagles (20-3 overall) took the lead for good when they scored five runs in the top of the sixth to go up 7-4. Jake Satturlun made it 5-4 with a two-out, two-run single and Ben Wharam added a two-out, two-run double.
“Isaac (Nelsen) did a fine job (in relief),” L-P head coach Brock Meyer said. “They just had a few bleeders and bloopers there, and that’s baseball. We had a lot of hard hit fly balls that didn’t fall. They played us well.”
L-P (23-3 overall) scored first on a sacrifice fly by Nelsen in the first inning and it took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Isaac Small and Dawson Jenkins delivered RBI singles.
However, L-P could not keep it going.
VaDeer struck out 13 in five innings while allowing four earned runs in a the loss. He said that it was tough to see the fourth inning lead go away.
“Since I’ve been playing, those seniors have been on the team as well. With this being their last year, it really sucks,” VaDeer, a junior, said. “I wish we could’ve gotten the job done for them. It was definitely a roller coaster. Being up 4-1 thinking we had a chance to win it, and then they take the lead and we can’t get runs in at the end. It sucks, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.”
Sacred Heart pitcher Parker Erickson struck out eight while scattering six hits and three walks.
L-P will play Heritage Christian Academy in the consolation round in Bob Cross Field at 10 a.m. Friday. The winner of that game plays again at 2:30 p.m.
Meyer said that Thursday’s outcome was a difficult one for a team that had worked so hard to get back to a second straight state tournament after L-P had never gone to state as a co-op before last year.
“It’s tough, especially for the seniors,” Meyer said. “We hope to finish out the season strong tomorrow, and there are a ton of teams that would love to be in this position now. It is what it is.”
Sacred Heart 001 015 0 – 7 11 1
Lyle-Pacelli 100 300 1 – 5 6 2
LP pitching: Hunter VaDeer (L) 5 IP, 7 H, 6 BB, 5 R, 4 ER, 13 K; Isaac Nelsen 1 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 3 K; Dane Schara, 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R
LP hitting: Landon Meyer, 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB; Logyn Brooks, 1-for-4; Hunter VaDeer, 1-for-3, R, BB; Isaac Nelsen, 0-for-3, RBI; Dane Schara, 1-for-3, R; Jack Klingfus, 0-for-3; Isaac Small, 1-for-3, RBI, R; Dawson Jenkins, 1-for-2, RBI, R, BB; Grady Meyer, 0-for-3
