Bulldog baseballers fall to Pepin, split with Mondovi

By Kelsie Hoitomt

PEPIN/MONDOVI — The Boyceville baseball team opened their 2013 season with a road loss against the Pepin/Alma Eagles last Thursday, April 25. They then traveled to Mondovi on Monday, April 29 to play a double header against the Buffaloes.

Loss to Eagles

The Bulldogs were not able to bounce back from a seven-run inning in the bottom of the first and lost 14-4 against the Eagles.

The Eagles scored seven points in the first inning, an additional two in the second, two more in the fifth and then their final three runs in the sixth. The Bulldogs had runners cross the plate in the first inning, the third and the fourth.

The Bulldogs had eight hits with six singles and two doubles with a total of 24 at bats. Hunter Anderson, Michael Lagerstrom, Jordan Kuhn and Nick Wathke scored the runs. Wathke also had three hits with two base singles and a second base hit.

On the mound for the Bulldogs were Kuhn, Jon Erickson and Matt Leach. They each allowed two walks and Kuhn delivered the team’s two strikeouts.

In the field, Wathke led the team in the outs with three and Lagerstrom had the team high in assists with three.

1-1 against the Buffaloes 

The Bulldogs played an all around solid first game against the Buffaloes with a 5-4 win after scoring two runs in the second and third innings and another one in the fourth. Lagerstrom, Kuhn, Leach, Brett Boda and Hunter Anderson each crossed the plate.

Jason Erickson singled to center in the second inning for the RBI to push in the two runs. It was then that Jon Erickson laid down a sacrifice bunt in the third inning, which allowed Kuhn to score and pushed Leach to third base. Anderson then singled to the outfield and Leach scored. Lagerstrom scored their final run in the fourth after Leach put down the bunt.

Mondovi had been on the board first with a run scored in the first inning by Jake Ede, but they trailed off in the second inning and then scored two runs in the third and a final run in the fourth.

“Kuhn pitched an outstanding game, throwing five complete innings and giving up just four runs. Jon Erickson came in and threw two innings of solid relief. At the plate everybody pitched in and contributed to the cause. We were led by Kuhn, Leach, Boda and others. The boys have put a tremendous amount of work in this season and it all came together in game one, from winning the game with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt to playing error free ball; it was exciting to watch this young team grow,” explained coach Tim Engel about game one.

The second game was suspended in the fifth inning due to darkness with the Bulldogs down 5-0 after making two errors early in the game which allowed for four Mondovi runs. The game will be completed at a later date.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to play at home this Thursday, May 2 against the St. Croix Central Panthers starting at 5:00 p.m.