Tigers rack up runs in sweep of Chargers

Staff photo by Ari Selvey
Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Bradyn Kube (20) looks to pick off Springfield’s MaCoy Krick (13) at second during a Tomahawk Conference baseball game Thursday at Mueller Park in New Ulm.

NEW ULM — Springfield swept a Tomahawk Conference baseball doubleheader against Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Thursday, defeating the Chargers 11-9 in Game 1 and 8-1 in Game 2.

Noah Neperman got the win for the Tigers in Game 1, striking out three while allowing two earned runs on six hits in five innings. Russell Beers led the team at the plate, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Aiden Moriarty and Lucas Milbrath each had two hits and an RBI. Ashton Thatcher added a 2 for 4 performance with two runs scored, while Neperman had a hit and two RBIs.

Kaden Peterson took the loss for MVL, striking out six while allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits in five innings. Peterson also led the team at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a triple, three runs scored, two stolen bases and two RBIs. Seth Schmidt added a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored, while Brennan Bendix was 2 for 3 with three runs scored. Connor Bode had a hit and two RBIs for the Chargers.

Two-out runs were once again a problem for MVL in the game after allowing all seven runs given up against Sleepy Eye on Tuesday’s game after two outs. In this game, MVL allowed nine of the 11 runs given up after two outs.

MVL started out the scoring after a 1-2-3 top of the first. Peterson tripled to open the bottom of the inning and Bode brought him home with a single. Bode reached third after a steal and a sacrifice fly, but was unable to reach home as the inning ended with a 1-0 MVL lead.

Springfield struck back in the second inning after two strikeouts by Peterson. Aiden Moriarty’s single was followed by three more singles that scored three runners before a groundout ended the inning.

MVL responded with a three-run inning of their own in the bottom of the second, with Bode’s sacrifice fly bringing in Bendix, Peterson scoring on an error and Riederer reaching home on another error to take a 4-3 lead. Fielding errors continued to plague the Tigers throughout the game, as they committed seven in total and seven of the team’s nine runs given up were unearned.

Springfield continued the scoring in the third, bringing three runners home on three hits and one error. MVL, on the other hand, went cold as Neperman orchestrated three scoreless innings for the Springfield defense. Springfield added four more runs in the fourth inning to increase their lead to 10-4.

MVL regained their footing in the sixth, retiring the side in the top of the inning and pushing two runs across the plate with hits by Bendix and Peterson. Springfield scored on in the top of the seventh make it a 11-6 game, and MVL got three more runs on two hits and two Springfield errors to reduce the lead to 11-9. However, two pop outs to shortstop cut the comeback short as Springfield took Game 1.

Jakob Nachreiner got the win for Springfield in Game 2, striking out 13 while allowing only two hits and no earned runs. Milbrath led the team at the plate, hitting a home run in a 2 for 2 game. Neperman had a triple and two RBIs, while Brayden Sturm and Jackson Ludwig each had an RBI.

Josh Vanderplas took the loss for MVL after pitching two innings the previous game, adding two more this game with a strikeout while allowing two hits and one earned run. Peterson and Braydn Kube each collected hits for the Chargers, with Kube scoring the team’s lone run. Springfield cleaned up the errors in Game 2, only committing one, while MVL had five errors on the game.

Springfield hosts a doubleheader against Sleepy Eye on Thursday. MVL hosts Sibley East at Johnson Park on Tuesday.