Hennen, Mudhens sink Morris in home opener
Danny Hennen went the distance while scattering eight hits as the Minneota Mudhens won their home opener Sunday with a 7-1 victory over the Morris Eagles.
"After dropping the first league game a week ago, we knew this was going to be an important bounce-back game against a good team who ended our season last year," said Mudhens player/manager Tyson Sonnenburg. Danny threw a gem for us. He did what he always does and got ahead in the count, which made him able to use all of his pitches."
Hennen walked one and struck out six.
Minneota scored in each of the first three innings to grab a 6-0 lead. Austin DeVlaeminck led off the first inning with a triple and scored on an error.
In the second inning, DeVlaeminck drove home two runs with a single and Alex Pohlen singled in another run for a 4-0 lead.
The Mudhens (1-2) parlayed a single by Sonnenburg, a walk and two Morris errors for two more runs.
Hennen's sacrifice fly in the sixth inning capped the scoring.
"All around, it was a great team win," said Sonnenburg. "The defense made plays and we did enough offensively."
AJ Myhre made an outstanding diving catch in left field to spark the defense.
Minneota 7, Morris 1
Morris.....................................000 100 000 - 1 8 3
Minneota................................132 001 00x - 7 10 1
Minneota hitting: Austin DeVlaeminck 2-for-5, 3b, 2 rbi; Alex Pohlen 3-for-5, 2b, rbi; Austin Buysse 0-for-4; Tyson Sonnenburg 2-for-3, hbp; Everett VanHecke 0-for-1; Danny Hennen 1-for-3, sf, rbi; Ben Skorczewski 0-for-3, hbp; Peyton Gillund 0-for-3, bb; AJ Myhre 0-for-3, bb; Brock Buysse 2-for-4, rbi
Minneota pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Danny Hennen (W) 9-8-1-1-1-3
Mudhens fall to Irish
The Milroy Irish scored seven times over the first three innings and held off a late Mudhens comeback attempt en route to an 8-6 non-league win last Wednesday in Milroy.
"It was a good non-league game to get in just to see some more live pitching before we hit the ground running with our league schedule," said player/manager Tyson Sonnenburg. "It's always fun to play at the Irish Yard."
The Irish's ballpark is one of the nicest in southern Minnesota and is referred to by locals as the "Field of Dreams."
Minneota used four pitchers in order to get more arms some work. AJ Myhre worked the first three frames, followed by an inning each from Sonnenburg, Jacob Hennen and Zach Nuy.
Austin Buysse had three of the Mudhens' 10 hits and also scored three times. Tate Walerius had two hits. Sonnenburg rapped a two-run double in the fourth inning. Brock Buysse and Ben Skorczewski each drove in a run.
Josh Schuelke, who joined the team this season, got his first hit as a Mudhen when he singled in the fifth inning. Brock Buysse, AJ Myhre and Cooper VanOverbeke had the other Minneota hits.
Milroy 8, Minneota 6
Minneota....................................101 220 0 - 6 10 1
Milroy..........................................052 100 x - 8 10 0
Minneota hitting: Brock Buysse 1-for-4, run, rbi; Austin Buysse 3-for-4, 3 runs; Tyson Sonnenburg 1-for-3, bb, 2b 2 rbi; Danny Hennen 0-for-4; Ben Skorczewski 0-for-3, bb, rbi; AJ Myhre 1-for-4; Tate Walerius 2-for-4; Josh Schuelke 1-for-3, bb; Cooper VanOverbeke 1-for-4, run, 2b
Minneota pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): AJ Myhre (L) 3-7-7-7-5-1, Tyson Sonnenburg 1-2-1-1-0-0, Jacob Hennen 1-0-0-0-0-0, Zach Nuy 1-0-0-0-0-2