Pine Island, Northfield and Lakeville North 1 Game Away from State Baseball Tournament

The Pine Island Panthers could be a team of destiny. They have won so many close games in the playoffs, and Saturday was no exception, with a 2-1 thrilling victory over Lake City in 10 innings.

Head coach Craig Anderson announced a couple of weeks ago this would be his last season. I haven't brought it up with him because I didn't want to jinx the Panthers, but it would be extra sweet for the dean of Hiawatha Valley League coaches to earn another trip to state in his final year.

Saturday Pine Island got a gutsy pitching peformance from Matt Lien and a slam of the door by eventual winner Drew Lohmeyer.

Pine Island took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning when Lien had a double to start the inning and following a single scored on a fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Brady Braaten.

Lake CIty answered with a two-out RBI double by shortstop Mark Kjos to plate Nate Baer, who led off the inning with a walk.

Both teams had their chances to gain leads in regulation but just couldn't get the clutch hit.

Pine Island scored in the top of the 10th. With one out, Lien singled and would later score on a Braaten RBI single. Lohmeyer struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th and the Panthers are a game away from the state tournament.

Chatfield ended Dover-Eyota's season with a 5-4 win and starting playing Lake City in the final elimination bracket game but the game was suspended due to storms and will be resumed in the top of the fourth at 5PM Monday. Chatfield leads 1-0.

The winner must defeat Pine Island twice on Tuesday at Hudson Field in Rochester to advance to state.

In other section baseball Saturday, Section 1 Class A Lewiston-Altura is a game away from state after a 10-2 win over United South Central.

The Rebels and Randolph game is suspended after three innings and will be played after the Lake City game against Chatfield at Hudson Field in Rochester on Monday evening.

The winner heads back to Rochester on Tuesday and has to beat Lewiston-Altura twice at Mayo Field to advance.

In Section 1 Class AAA, Northfield edged Red Wing 2-1 Saturday in Red Wing and waits to see who comes out of the elimination bracket. Albert defeated Winona 1-0 Saturday and plays Red Wing at 5PM Monday in Red Wing to determine Northfield's opponent. The winner would have to beat Northfield twice on Tuesday in Red Wing to advance.

In Section 1 Class AAAA, Lakeville North got by Owatonna 4-2 in Dundas on Saturday to advance and will have a rematch with the Huskies on Tuesday.

Lakeville South downed Farmington 7-1 in the elimination bracket and Owatonna defeated Lakeville South 8-7 in eight innings to get to the title chance against Lakeville North.

The Huskies have to beat the Panthers twice in Dundas on Tuesday to advance to state.

In Section 2 Class AAA, the section Faribault was in, Mankato West edged Marshall 3-2 in New Ulm on Saturday to advance in the winner's bracket.

New Ulm dispatched of Mankato East 2-1 and will play Marshall in an elimination game Tuesday at 6PM in New Ulm. The winner then plays Mankato West on Wednesday and has to win twice to go to state.

In Section 2 AA, Belle Plaine blanked Tri-City United 6-0 in the winner's bracket and waits to see who comes out of the elimination bracket.

In the elimination bracket, Fairmont defeated St. James Area 2-0 and will play Tuesday against the winner of Monday night's game between Waterville-Elysian-Morristown and Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop. Both those games are 5PM starts at Veteran's Field in St. Peter.

The winner of Tuesday's 5PM game plays Tri-City United to determine who goes up against Belle Plaine on Thursday and has to beat them twice to go to state.