Cannon Falls Baseball Heading to MSHSL Class 2A State Tournament

The Bombers needed two wins over the LaCrescent Lancers Tuesday to advance to the MSHSL Class 2A State Baseball Tournament and that's exactly what they did.

Jack Meyers, sophomore, pitched 12 innings, allowed 7 hits with no walks, one hit batter, 10 strikeouts against a very good hitting LaCrescent team.

Meyers also provided some offense for the Bombers in the doubleheader played at Mayo Field in Rochester.

The first game Cannon Falls won 3-1, the second 3-0.

Meyers hit a solo home run in the first game, almost collected another in the second game when he spanked a ball off the outfield fence for an RBI double.

The first game started with the Lancers loading the bases with no outs.

They did not score because Meyers got back-to-back strikeouts.

On the second strikeout the catcher dropped the ball, but first base was occupied so the batter was out. The runner at third came too far down the baseline and could not get back to third base before he was tagged out to end the threat.

In the bottom of the first inning Cannon Falls put a crooked number on the board.
Elliott Nelson, senior, started with a walk.  He then stole his 21st base of the season to get to second base.

Ari Wells, senior, put down a sacrifice bunt to move Nelson to third base.  Jaden Winchell, senior, delivered a 0-1 count smooth swing to drop the baseball infront of the outfield scoring Nelson.

Following an error there was a pop out to second base.  Tyler Johnston, senior, jumped on the first pitch he saw and delivered an RBI single to put the Bombers ahead.

Cannon Falls would never trail.

In the top of the sixth inning LaCrescent score3d their only run of the evening when #9 batter Logan DeBoer, senior, gained first base on an error.

Following a fly out DeBoer would score on a sacrifice fly.

Meyers smacked a 1-0 count solo home run to start the bottom of the sixth inning.  Following a fly out, Johnson stroked his second hit.  Nick Barrett, junior, gained the basepaths on a fielder's choice.

Jackson Ekstrom, junior, was hit by a pitch placing runners at first and second base with two outs.

A pop out ended the inning.

Brady Grupa, senior, opened the top of the seventh inning with a double for the Lancers.  He would advance to third base on a fly out.

He would be stranded there thanks to a groundout and strikeout to put an exclamation point on Meyers victory.

Meyers was efficient, throwing 67 pitches in the first game with 52 strikes.  He struck out four LaCrescent batters while scattering 5 hits.

Game two would start with Meyers getting a pop out and two strikeouts.  The sophomore faced one batter over the minimum while pitching the first five innings and getting to his pitch count maximum.

Meyers had 6 strikeouts, no walks, 2 hits allowed.

Kale Baker, junior, led off the second inning with a single but would be thrown out trying to steal second base.

Alex Von Arx, sophomore had a two out single in the fifth inning.

Meyers tallied 50 pitches in the second game, 43 strikes.

Gavin Gray, left-handed senior came in to pitch the final two innings but not without some tense moments.

After getting two outs right away Gray threw 9 straight balls to walk two guys and put the winning run at the plate.

He struck out the #3 hitter to end the inning and high stepped himself into the Bombers dugout.

Jaden Winchell opened the bottom of the 6th with a 2-2 count double.  Jack Meyers was intentionally walked.  Aaron Melhouse would tomahawk a ball to protect Winchell and Meyers who were on the move to the next base.

The second baseman fielded the ball and threw home to get Winchell.

The catcher looked to throw out Melhouse at first base but the first baseman saw Meyers racing around third base to come home and score.  He threw to home but Meyers scored the third run of the game.

Our Cash Wise Foods and Pharmacy Deliver of the Game was awarded to Meyers in the first game.

He also shared the award in the second game with Gray, Nelson, and Winchell.

The Lancers ended their season with a 18-8 record.

Cannon Falls advances to state with a 21-5 record.

The Bombers will open at either 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud.

Seedings will be this weekend by the coaches in the tournament.

Win or lose a team comes back the second day and if they don't win both games plays a second game for either Third Place or the Consolation Champinship.

The State title game this year is being played at CHS Field in St. Paul.  Home to the Saints.

The Class 2A State Championship is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Friday, June 16, 2023.