Pierre Post 8 has started the Gopher Classic at 0-2 on the weekend with losses to both Elk River 13-3 and Rosetown 6-5 in eight innings.
The Eights were able to escape danger early on against Elk River in the first game of the day, but the Elks were able to score two unearned runs in the top of the second before adding another two in the fourth. Pierre tried to fight back in the bottom of the fourth with three singles in a row scoring a run off the RBI by George Stalley. Then in the fifth, the Eights scored two more runs after Brecken Krueger tripled, Lincoln Kienholz doubled him in and then Jayden Wiebe hit the third extra base hit of the inning doubling home Kienholz. However, Elk River scored three runs in the fifth and then adding another six runs in the sixth to take a ten run lead and hold on for the victory. Bennett Dean took the loss on the mound gutting out four and a third innings allowing seven runs, five earned on four hits, seven walks and three strikeouts.
In game two of the day, Kienholz was a home run shy of the cycle as he went 3-4 scoring two of Pierre’s five runs. Jonny Lyons would hit two doubles and drive in a pair as Dean also had an RBI double in the game. The Eights scored a run in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game at 5-5 but a scoreless top of the eighth and Rosetown would end it in the bottom half of the inning with a walk-off single to drop Pierre to 0-2 to start the Gopher Classic. Jett Zabel went five innings giving up five runs, three earned on five hits, four walks and six strikeouts. Lyons finished the game in relief and gave up just the one run along with three hits and three walks.
Pierre will play a straight doubleheader tomorrow against Omaha Westside and Maple Grove beginning at 11:30. You can follow along with the games on the gamechanger app by searching “Pierre Post 8.” The games will have live video feed.
