The Aitkin Steam baseball team is moving on to the Region Tourney after a heart-stopping 8-7 win Sunday over the Upsala Blue Jays. A wild pitch scored Nolan Dotzler with the winning run in the final inning after Aitkin tied the game in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Landon Janzen.

The Steam scored three times in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. Jake Ince reached on an error, Carson Kullhem singled, Jake McGuire walked and Zack Ehnstrom singled to score two runs. Janzen then reached on an error scoring the other.

After Upsala scored three in the third the Steam rallied back to take a 6-4 lead. Dotzler singled, Drew Paulbeck singled and later in the inning Jake McGuire doubled to center to score three runs. That brought things to the eighth when Janzen provided the run that tied it at 8-8 and set the Steam up for their heroics in the ninth.

Dotzler again provided the impetus for the inning with a bunt single. He stole second and reached third on a groundout. With Owen Foday at the plate Jack Primus uncorked a wild pitch and Dotzler scampered home with the winner.

Ehnstrom was 3-5 with two runs batted in while Dotzer and Paulbeck each banged out a pair of hits in the game. Ehnstrom went the first three innings while Paulbeck went the final six innings.

Upsala 7 11 2

Steam 8 11 3

WP Drew Paulbeck

LP Jack Primus

Game Two

The Steam had a chance to end the series but dropped a 5-4 decision. The Blue Jays scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to erase a 4-3 deficit and pick up the win.

Aitkin took a 2-0 lead in the first. John McGuire singled, Nathan Ehnstrom was hit by a pitch, Zack Ehnstrom singled to left for one run and Nolan Dotzler singled to right for the second run. The Blue Jays made it 2-1 in their half, but Aitkin took a 3-1 lead in the second.

Keyon Wesner walked and later in the inning Nathan Ehnstrom singled to score the run. It was tied at 3-3 after six, but Aitkin retook the lead in the seventh. Nathan singled, Jake McGuire singled and Zack reached on an error. Drew Paulbeck hit a ground ball and reached on an error to score the run. Upsala tied it in the seventh on a hit by Brady Yourczek and got the winning run on a homer in the eighth by Barthel.

Thor Dunham started and went six innings striking out four. Carson Kullhem came on and pitched two innings and took the loss. Nathan Ehnstrom and Nolan Dotzler each had two hits to lead the Steam.

Aitkin 4 8 2

Upsala 5 9 2

WP Brady Yourczek

LP Carson Kullhem

Game One

The Steam got out to a 5-0 lead in the opener on its way to an 8-2 win. They scored once in the first as they worked the double steal for a run and then put four across in the second. Drew Paulbeck singled, Keyon Wesner singled, Carson Kullhem and John McGuire singled for a run leaving the bases loaded. Landon Janzen unloaded them with a double to right for three runs.

Upsala scored a run to make it 5-1 but Aitkin got that one back in the third on a run scoring hit by Nathan Ehnstrom. Nolan Dotzler ripped a single to score another run for the Steam in the fourth and Zack Ehnstrom blasted a home run in the eighth for the final run.

Nathan Ehnstrom started and went the distance for the Steam striking out seven in the game. Janzen was 3-5 with three runs batted in and Dotzler and Wesner both had two hits for the winners.

Upsala 2 7 1

Steam 3 12 1

WP Nathan Ehnstrom

LP C. J. Clear