Parker Meyers successfully steals second base when he beats the throw to the bag during the Pirates 6-0 shutout victory over the Wells Wildcats on Sunday, June 29. Meyers was one of three Pirates to collect three hits during the game. Brandyn Olsen did not allow a run in eight innings to pick up the win.
The Blue Earth Pirates gave pitcher Brandyn Olsen all the run support he needed when they scored once in the bottom of the first inning in their 6-0 shutout victory over the Wells Wildcats. The teams, both members of the 13/60 League in the Minnesota Baseball Association, met at Veterans Field in Blue Earth on Sunday, June 29.
The win by the Pirates evens their head-to-head record with the Wildcats at 1-1. Wells won the two teams’ first meeting of the year 5-3 in a game played on May 28.
In their latest meeting, the Wildcats had trouble generating very much offense against the veteran Pirates’ pitcher. In eight innings of shutout work, Olsen struck out nine Wildcats’ batters while walking two and only allowing two hits.
Kade Hobbs relieved Olsen to start the ninth and preserved the shutout while allowing one hit, walking one batter and striking out one.
Blue Earth scored one run in the bottom of the first inning. Parker Meyers hit a line-drive double to right field, advanced to third base on a sacrifice fly to right field by Olsen and scored on a line-drive single to left field by Hunter Bleess.
The Pirates added another run in their half of the second inning. Tanner Nawrocki walked with one out and raced to third base on a single by Brayden Barnett. Talan Priester’s sacrifice fly to right field brought Nawrocki home with Blue Earth’s second run of the game.
The home team continued to build their lead with two more runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Olsen led off the inning with a single and checked in at third base when Bleess hit a double.
A single by Zac Schonrock plated Olsen and advanced Bleess to third base. Lee Hodges’ opposite-field single to right field brought Bleess home with the Pirates’ fourth run of the game.
Blue Earth’s last two runs of the game came in the fifth inning.
Bleess hit a lead-off double and moved to third base on Logan O’Hara’s fly ball out to right field.
An infield error by the Wildcats allowed Schonrock to safely reach first base while Bleess hustled home for the home team’s fifth run of the game.
A single by Hodges advanced Schonrock to third base and a sacrifice fly by Nawrocki brought Schonrock home and made the score 6-0 in the Pirates’ favor.
Blue Earth’s 14-hit attack was led by Bleess who had three hits in four at bats. Bleess also scored two runs and drove in one run.
Meyers, Hodges and Barnett each had two hits during the game and Schonrock collected two RBI.
Todd Rasmussen and Colten Quade each had one hit for the Wildcats.
Steve Voigt took the loss for Wells.
After hosting Lake Crystal on July 2, Blue Earth will be on the road for evening games at Green Isle on July 7 and at Cleveland on July 9. The Pirates are scheduled to return home and host the Morristown Morries for a 2 p.m. game on July 13.
Expos 9, Pirates 3
The host Eagle Lake Expos defeated the Blue Earth Pirates 9-3 on Saturday, June 28.
The Expos jumped out to an early lead when they scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning. They increased their lead to 6-0 before the Pirates got on the board with one run in the top of the fourth inning.
Eagle Lake added one run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 9-1. Blue Earth tallied single runs in the seventh and ninth innings to complete their scoring.
The Expos outhit the Pirates by a 12-9 margin.
Talan Priester was 3-for-4 for Blue Earth while Kade Hobbs was 2-for-2.
Taylor Davids took the loss for the Pirates after pitching two innings and giving up five earned runs on five hits. He walked two batters.
Zac Schonrock pitched five innings and was charged with four runs (three earned) on six hits. He walked three batters and struck out five. Hunter Bleess pitched the eighth inning and struck out three batters.