Sartell Baseball Falls In Quarterfinal

(KNSI) – Sartell High School Boy’s Baseball lost in Tuesday’s AAAA quarterfinal contest against Stillwater, 6-5. A three-run double from Ponies pitcher Joshua Wallace in the first inning was the pivotal hit vaulting Stillwater to an advantage it never relinquished.

The Ponies sent 11 batters to the plate in the opening inning after allowing three Sabre runs in the top half of the frame. Sartell centerfielder Austin Henrichs singled on the game’s first pitch. Third baseman Kade Lewis walked with one out. An error by the Ponies allowed Henrichs to score and Lewis went to third base, drawing a throw and getting Steven Brinkerhoff to second. Blake Haus had a two-RBI single to push the lead to 3-0. Sartell loaded the bases with one out, but couldn’t find the timely hit to blow the game wide open.

Another chance presented itself in the third. Rightfielder Brinkerhoff led off the inning with a double up against the wall in left. He advanced to third on a bad pickoff. First baseman Haus drew a walk to put two on with nobody out. A Gavan Schulte single made it a 6-4 game but the rally petered out. A fielder’s choice eliminated Schulte at second. A strike out and ground ball to short retired the side.

In the top of the sixth, a Carsen Gross single came around to score when Henrichs ripped a triple into the right field corner. The fifth Sartell run finally chased Stillwater starter Wallace. Jacob Merrill and Kade Lewis greeted the reliever with hard hit balls that were both caught by defenders.

Sartell’s next game is Wednesday morning at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis in the consolation bracket. The opponents are the Andover Huskies who were routed in the evening contest, falling to Chanhassen 14-0.

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