In a rarity because of time limit, Pierre Post 8 would tie the final game of the Gopher Classic on Saturday 7-7 to Excelsior finishing the tournament at 0-3-1 being walked off in the third loss.
Pierre would open up the tournament against a solid Rock Island, Illinois team who would beat the Eights 11-3 in five innings because of the eight run rule after five innings. Pierre would battle in the first two innings with two runs in the bottom of the first to match Rock Island’s two runs before answering the run in the second to make it 3-3 after two innings. However, the offensive juggernaut of Rock Island would not be held to a scoreless frame scoring a run in the third, three in the fourth and four in the fifth to take the 11-3 lead including a three run homer from Kale Whitaker as he drove in six of the 11 runs in the game. Tripp Lindekugel had a two RBI single to have the lone RBIs of game one. Hudson Shaffer would take the loss on the mound giving up 10 runs, seven earned on 12 hits with two strikeouts.
In game two on Friday, Pierre would fall to Maple Grove 10-3 in six innings with the time limit hit but Pierre led 3-0 after two and a half to the host team. Lindekugel had a two RBI double and Jackson Goodman drove in a run, but Maple Grove had a six run bottom of the third to lead 6-3. Evan O’Dwyer would hit a two run shot in the fifth and a four run inning put Maple Grove up by seven as he finished with three RBIs. Ryker Edson would take the loss on the mound giving up five runs over two innings on four hits. Porter Hunsley give up five runs, three earned, on five hits over the next three innings.
After being eliminated from contention to win the pool, Saturday, Pierre would fall 3-2 to East Grand Forks in a walk off hit by pitch as Pierre again led 2-0 in the game with Lindekugel getting the lone RBI of the game. The Eights took advantage of two errors to score both runs but Mason Frize made it 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth and then a single, error and hit by pitch loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh. An RBI single tied the game at 2-2 and then with one out, Brody Anderson would be hit by a Carter Shiefelbein hit by pitch to win the game for East Grand Forks on the walk off. Hudson Stoeser had two hits including a double for the Eights while Carter Templeton would get a no decision with five innings pitched allowing one unearned run on three hits with seven strikeouts.
In the final game of the day, Pierre would open up with a 3-0 in the bottom of the first against Excelsior in the final game of the Gopher Classic for both teams. Will Eilers had an RBI single and then Goodman had two RBI single to make it 3-0 for the Eights. A two run error with two outs in the fifth made it 3-2 before an RBI single tied the game at 3-3, then giving Excelsior a 7-3 lead with a four run top of the sixth with a two run double by Will Keenan, but the Eights battled back. Schiefelbein had an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-4. Then in the seventh, Goodman would get his third RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to make it 7-5. A two out error made it 7-6 and then three straight walks as Schiefelbein gets his second RBI tying the game at 7-7. With the time limit hit and the bases loaded and two outs, Will Danburg would be the final batter, but he couldn’t sneak a ground ball through pass second and the game would end in a tie. Danburg would throw five innings allowing three unearned runs on four hits. Stoeser, Bridger Babcock and Goodman would all throw in the sixth and seventh. Lindekugel and Will Eilers would both double.
Pierre finishes the Gopher Classic at 0-3-1 and finishes the regular season at 16-17-1. The Eights will now have to wait to find out their opponent and where they will play in the playoffs which will be in the middle of next week. Games will be on KCCR and on YouTube at KCCR Sports.
Comments