Faribault Game Pushed Back Wanamingo Ends Season

The Faribault Lakers moved their game against the Montgomery Mallards to a 6:00 p.m. first pitch today due to the welcome rain.

As you can see by my photo some birds didn't get the memo.  After covering the Wanamingo Jacks game against top seed Red Wing in Region 5C playoffs at Cannon Falls I swung by Bell Field and took a couple photos from the Aquatic Center parking lot.

Wanamingo fell to Red Wing 10-0 in 7-innings thanks in large part to 5 errors for the Jacks.

For the second straight year Red Wing lost their opening round game to #8 seed Dodge County.  The Diamondbacks scored a 8-5 victory Saturday while Wanamingo fell to Cannon Falls 9-3.

Lefty Ben Kuehni was very good on the hill for the Aces finishing the game in the 7th with a 4 pitch inning for 89 total, 63 strikes.

Kuehni allowed 1 walk, struck out 4, gave up 4 hits (1 until the 6th inning).  He went the distance despite about a 20 minute rain delay in the bottom of the 4th inning.

Wanamingo starting pitcher Sam Roosen deserved a better fate.  In addition to the errors, heavier rain fell when he was pitching in the bottom of the 4th inning making the mound a bit slippery.

The Bombers grounds crew did an excellent job, considering the conditions, getting the hill and rest of the field ready to resume play.

Brady Anfinson replaced Roosen on the hill following the delay and proceeded to hit the first batter in the foot resulting in a bases loaded hit batsman for an RBI.

It was the story of the Jacks day.

Red Wing took advantage of two errors in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.

After an out started the inning Roosen had a 0-2 count against shortstop Zach Harding who hit a ground ball to third base.  The throw to first was not accurate resulting in an error.

Designated Hitter Marcus Walm beat out a relay on a double play attempt keeping the inning alive.

Malm advanced to second following a single by first baseman Teddy Tauer.

Dixon Irwin, catcher stepped to the plate and during his at bat Walm stole third base with the throw from the catcher going over the third baseman's head allowing Walm to score.  The Irwin at bat ended in a strike out.

The Aces collected 3 more runs in the third inning.  Mitch Matter hit a 0-2 count pitch to third base and the ball went under the glove into left field for another error.

Harding clubbed an 0-2 count pitch for a RBI single.  Walm was walked.  Following a pop out Irwin was hit by a 1-1 count pitch.

Adam Thygesen, second baseman, hit a 2-run single.  Another run scored on a pop up that was not caught but a runner was out trying to advance to end the inning.

Red Wing had a 5-run 4th inning which started with second baseman Abe Reinitz's 2-2 count single.  #9 hitter centerfielder Brady Schroeder followed with a 1-2 count single.

Matter put down a bunt to advance the runners resulting in the first baseman attempting to get the runner going to third but throwing wide of it's target allowing a run to score.

Harding cracked a 2-RBI single.  Following a strike out looking, Tauer walked on four pitches.  Roosen requested the umpire to get the grounds crew to fix the mound which was getting pretty slick due to heavier rain.

When play resumed Irwin walked to load the bases.  That is when the umpire said bring out the tarps for the mound and home plate areas.

Approximately 20 minutes later (just a guess, I didn't time it) Brady Anfinson came in to pitch resulting in the bases loaded hit batsman.

A fielder's choice and single followed before a fly out ended the 11 batter inning.

The Jacks were shut down by Kuehni.  After an infield single by Sam Roosen in the first inning Kuehni set down 10 consecuitive batters before Gavin Sommer had a one out walk in the 5th inning,

Kuehni picked Sommer off first base then got a 0-1 count Aaron Bauer hit ball come back to him on the mound to retire the side.

The Jacks loaded the bases in the sixth inning after two outs were recorded.

Right fielder, Brock Baker had a 1-2 count single.  Sam Roosen was hit by a pitch before Eric Swiggum stroked a 1-1 count single.

Alex Roosen popped out to end the threat.

The bottom of the 6th started with the Aces Irwin smacking a 2-1 count double.

Thygesen clubbed a 1-2 count pitch for a RBI single giving them the 10-run margin needed to end the game in 7 innings if the opponent didn't score.

Kuehni recorded the four pitch top of the 7th that ended the game.

Wanamingo ended their 2023 season with a 15-7 record according to their page on the MBA website.

A few Red Wing games are not reported on their page but it appears they are now about 11-8.

Final line totals in my book were:

Red Wing  10 runs  10 hits  0 errors  6 runners left, 2 scoring position
Wanamingo  0 runs   4 hits  5 errors  4 runners left, 2 scoring position

Sam Roosen threw 3 and 2/3 innings with 9 runs scored, 4 earned, 2 strikeouts, 4 walks and a hit batsman throwing 78 pitches, 49 strikes.

Anfinson went 2 and 1/3 innings, gave up 1 run with no strikeouts, no walks, two hit batters and threw 31 pitches, 22 for strikes.