Northfield Falls in State Baseball Opener

The Mahtomedi Zephyrs scored 7 runs in the bottom of the second inning and held Northfield to 2 hits in a 8-1 win at Chaska Athletic Park in Class 3A State Tournament Baseball today.

Tegan Mellgren, Senior, started on the mound for the Raiders going 1 and 2/3 innings. 4 of the 7 runs allowed were earned while giving up 3 hits,  Mellgren walked 2 batters and struck out 2 batters in his 60 total pitches with 33 strikes.

Eli Mikkelson, Junior, finished pitching for Northfield going the final 4 and 1/3 innings with 6 hits given up, 1 earned run, no walks, 2 strikeouts while throwing 64 pitches, 39 strikes.

The Raiders scored their only run in the top of the third inning.  After Mellgren was hit by a pitch Austin Koep, Senior, stroked an RBI double.  Kam Kaiser had the only other hit for Northfield with a single in the first inning after two outs.

Mahtomedi pitcher Ethan Felling, Junior, went the first 4 innings, allowing both hits and the only run with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts.  He threw 75 pitches, 44 strikes.  Andrew Sokoll, Junior, finished the game.  In 3 innings, no hits or run, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts.

Jack Erickson, Senior, had 3 hits for the Zephyrs including a 2-run double.  Josua Donna, Senior, smacked a 2-run home run in the same inning and Austin Felling, Senior, had 2 hits.

Mahtomedi was 4 of 5 in stolen bases.

The Zephyrs (21-4) will face Grand Rapids (17-8) in Semifinals action tomorrow, June 14, 2024 at Chaska Athletic Park.

The Thunderhawks defeated #2 seed Mankato East 4-3 in the first game of the day.

The contest was tied at 2 runs each after 4 innings when Grand Rapids scored two runs in the top of the 5th and the Cougars scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning.

Thunderhawks had 9 hits off 2 pitchers while Mankato East gathered 7 hits.  There were no errors in the well played game.

Nathan Bridger, Junior, started on the mound for Mankato East going the first 4 innings, allowing 8 hits, 4 runs, all earned with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts.  Keaton Wojcik, Freshman, went the next 2 innings with 1 hit given up, 1 hit batter, 1 strikeout. Nicholas Werk, Senior, pitched the final inning with 1 strikeout of the 3 batters faced.

Austin Hendley, Junior, stroked an RBI double for the Cougars as 7 different players had hits

Eric Sjostrand, Senior, went the distance toeing the rubber for Grand Rapids with all run earned, 8 strikeouts, 3 walks while throwing 105 pitches.

Thunderhawks number one, two and three batters in their order each had 2 hits led by Jeff Garski, Senior with 2 doubles.

Mankato East (20-6) will play fellow Big Nine Conference member Northfield Noon Friday at Mini-Met in Jordan in Consolation Bracket action.