Elk Mound fights off Pepin/Alma for fifth straight win
by Samuel Ripp
ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound baseball team kept pace with large-division leader Durand as it scored a 6-2 home win against Pepin/Alma Thursday, May 19.
The Mounders, 10-2 in D-SC action and 15-2 overall, currently trail the Panthers by one game with the just one contest left on the schedule. Elk Mound needed a road win at Elmwood in Monday’s (May 23) conference and regular season finale coupled with a Durand loss to Pepin/Alma in order to earn a share of this year’s large conference championship.
Elk Mound senior Brandon Bohl made sure the Mounders stayed on course to do just that as he pitched well in the win over Pepin/Alma last Thursday. Bohl went the full seven innings only giving up two runs on five hits. He also struck out 15 Eagles’ batters and walked just two. With the win, Bohl improved his season record to 10-1 on the year.
The Mounders jumped out to the early lead by scoring one run right away in the first inning and added their remaining five runs in the second inning of the game. Although Elk Mound was shut down for the remainder of the game, it had scored more than enough in the first two innings to seal the victory.
The Eagles finally got to Bohl in the top fifth inning when they scored both their runs.
The Mounders collected nine hits and drew four walks to get base runners on the field. Elk Mound did strike out seven times. Collecting base hits were: senior Alex Hollister with two including a double, senior Cole Tyman with two, senior Grant Kjellberg, sophomore Ethan Kjellberg, junior Dane Lew, and senior Ryan Conlin with two including a double.
With the six runs that Elk Mound was able to put up on the scoreboard, all six came from RBIs. Adding to their season totals included: Hollister with three, Ethan Kjellberg, and Conlin with two.
Dane Lew picked up his third stolen base of the year as he stole second in the win.
Elk Mound received a first-round bye in the Division 3 Regional tournament and will host the winner of the Glenwood City vs. Boyceville game on Tuesday, May 31.