The Blue Earth Pirates saw their 2025 baseball season come to an end when they were eliminated from the Region 5C Tournament. Members of the team pictured above are, front row, left to right, Tanner Nawrocki, Noah Barnett, Brayden Barnett, Ryan Vereide, Kaylan Legred, Logan Jahnke, Talan Priester, Hunter Bleess. Back row, left to right, Kane Malo, Cody Sukalski, Logan O’Hara, Zac Schonrock, Kade Hobbs, Peyton O’Hara, Parker Meyers, Lee Hodges, Brandyn Olsen.

The Blue Earth Pirates were eliminated from the Region 5C baseball playoffs when they came up on the short end of a 3-2 score against the Waseca Braves in a game played at Waterville on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 10.

Waseca then lost to Cannon Falls in a battle to be the third team from Region 5C to qualify for the State Tournament. Waterville will represent Region 5C as the top-seeded team out of Region 5C while Pine Island will make the trip to State as the Region 5C No. 2-seeded team.

Waseca used a single, a sacrifice bunt and another single to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

The bottom of the third inning began with Blue Earth’s first two batters each striking out. The third batter, Talan Priester, reached on a walk and moved to second on a single by Parker Meyers.

Brandyn Olsen’s ground ball single to center field plated Priester to tie the game at 1-1.

Meyers, who had advanced to second base on Olsen’s single, then scored on a single by Hunter Bleess to give Blue Earth a 2-1 lead. Kane Malo followed with a single to load the bases but the Braves were able to record the third out before any more damage was inflicted by the Pirates.

Waseca opened the top half of the fourth inning with two singles. Blue Earth retired the next two batters on a line out to center fielder Brayden Barnett and fly out to the right fielder Priester. It looked like the Pirates might get out of the inning but the Braves’ next batter stroked a double to center field to score both runners and give Waseca a 3-2 lead, which turned out to be the final score.

The Pirates were able to get runners into scoring position in the fifth, sixth and ninth innings but were unable to get a hit when they needed it to drive in the run that would tie the game.

Lee Hodges went the distance on the mound for Blue Earth. The right hander yielded three earned runs on nine hits. He walked one batter and struck out three.

Like the Braves, the Pirates also had nine hits. They were led by Olsen who had three hits including a double and one run batted in. Malo finished with two hits. Bleess had one hit and one run batted in.

Blue Earth finished the season with an overall record of 14 wins and 10 losses. They finished in second place in the 13/60 League with a 12-4 record. Waterville was the league champions with an undefeated record of 14-0. Minnesota Lake finished tied for third in the league with an 8-6 record and Wells was fifth with a 7-7 record.